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f"  PRINCETON,  N.  J.                             $ 


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THE  IMPORTANCE  OF  THE  GOSPEL  MIMSTR1 . 

AN 

INTRODUCTORY    LECTURE, 

DELIVERED 

AT  THE  OPENING  OF  THE  WINTER  SESSION 

OF    THE 

Etiological  gtmimtg 

AT  PRINCETON,  NEW-JERSEY, 
A      Nov.  9,  1827. 


BY  SAMUEL  MILLER,  D.  D. 

PROFESSOR   OF  ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY  AJYD   CHURCH  GOFERX- 
MEXT  I.V  THE  SAID  SEMIXAR  Y. 


PHINCET02T    N.  J. 
PRINTED  BY  D-  A.  BORRENSTEI>*. 

18-27. 


4 


REV.  AND  DEAR  SIR, 

Jit  a  meeting  of  the  SOCIETY  FOR  INQUIRY  ON 
MISSIONS,  composed  of  the  students  of  the  Theological  Semi- 
nary, held  on  Saturday,  the  first  of  December,  it  was  on  mo- 
tion unanimously 

RESOLVED, 

That  the  Committee  whose  business  it  is  to  super- 
intend the  publications  of  this  Society,  request  for  publication 
a  copy  of  your  Lecture*  delivered  before  the  students  of  this 
Seminary,  ut  the  opening  of  the  present  Session. 

In  resolving  to  make  this  request,  the  Society  were 
prompted  by  the  conviction,  that  if  will  be  found  highly  accept- 
able and  useful,  not  only  to  those  who  are  already  "  set  for  the 
defence  of  the  Gospel,'1''  but.  to  all  who  shall  aspire  to  this  re- 
sponsible  office,  and  instrumentally,  throll^i  them,  to  the  great 
body  of  the  Church. 

tilth  sentiments  of  high  esteem, 

We  remain, 

Respectfully  your's, 

H.  HOOKER,  ) 

J.  K.  CUNNINGHAM,  >  COMMITTEE. 

D.  T.  WOOD,  S 

Princeton,      f 
Dec.  9,  1827.  \ 

Rev.  Dr.  Mii>:-  * 


t 


^ 


f 


INTRODUCTORY    LECTURE. 


BELOVED  CANDIDATES  FOR  THE  HOLY  MINISTRY  , 

It  is  evident  that  Ministers  of  religion  must  have 
been  eoeval  with  the  first  acts  of  social  worship. 
Long  before  the  institution  of  the  Levitical  Priest- 
hood, there  were,  undoubtedly,  persons  who  u  min- 
istered in  holy  things,"  that  is,  who  presided  in  of- 
fering sacrifices,  and  in  conducting  the  exercises  of 
public  instruction  and  devotion.  Even  among  the 
ante-diluvians,  we  read  of  those  who  "  preached" 
and  "prophesied"  in  the  name  of  the  Lord;  and 
after  the  flood,  before  the  commencement  of  the 
Mosaic  dispensation,  we  find  mention  made  of 
:i  Melchisedeck,  a  priest  of  the  most  high  God;"  and 
also  of  "  Jethro,  a  priest  of  Midian,"  who  was,  evi- 
dently, a  worshipper  of  Jehovah. 

After  the  establishment  of  the  Aaroniek  priest- 
hood, the  line  was  more  distinctly  drawn  than  ever 
between  the  ministers  at  the  altar,  and  those  in 
whose  behalf  they  ministered.  New  barriers  were 
raised  against  all  unauthorized  intrusion  on  the  ap- 
propriate duties  of  the  priestly  office ;  and  weighty 
and  most  momentous  was  the  trust  committed  to 


H 


6 

those  who  bore  jjfff «  nice.  When  the  New-Testa- 
ment church  was  organized,  the  same  general  fea- 
ture was  impressed  on  this  more  spiritual  dispensa- 
tion. Still  a  class  of  men  was  set  apart  for  the  ser- 
vice of  the  sanctuary  ;  and  their  essential  functions, 
as  before,  appropriated  to  them  alone.  In  several 
respects,  indeed,  did  the  ceremonial  Priesthood  differ 
from  the  New-Testament  Ministry.  The  latter 
were  no  longer  confined  to  a  single  family  They 
were  no  longer  called  "  priests  ;"  but  "  ministers,'' 
"  servants,'1  "  stewards  of  the  mysteries  of  God," 
"ambassadors  of  Christ,"  &c.  They  were  no  lon- 
ger distributed  into  several  orders.  And  a  variety 
of  ceremonial  observances  relating  to  their  qualifica- 
tions, investiture,  and  succession,  ceased  to  be  obli- 
gatory. 

Mr.  Gibbon,  indeed,  asserts,  that  the  distinction 
between  '•  Clergy"  and  "  Laity"  was  unknown  in 
the  primitive  church,  and  was  not  introduced  until 
the  second  century.  If  by  this  assertion  he  meant, 
that  ue  do  not  find  these  precise  terms,  to  distinguish 
between  ecclesiastical  men  and  others,  in  familiar 
use,  in  any  christian  writings  earlier  than  those  of 
Tertullian.  Origen;  and  Cyprian;  and,  especially, 
that  the  proud  and  arrogant  claims  witrt  which  one 
of  these  terms  was  afterwards  connected,  were,  be- 
fore their  time,  in  a  great  measure,  unknown  ; — he 
is  probable  correct.  But  if  his  meaning  be,  that  the 
Christian  Ministry  is  not  an  institution  of  Jesus 
Christ ;  that  he  did  not  from  the  beginning,  anne^ 
'to  it  a  specifick  spiritual  authority;  that  ministers 
were  not,  from  the  very  origin  of  th 

I 


nated  by  appropriate  titles ;  that  there  were  not  ap- 
propriate functions  assigned  to  them  ;  and  that  these 
functions  were  not,  in  the  primitive  church,  confined 
to  them,  but  were  common  to  all  christians  ; — if  this 
be  his  meaning,  there  could  hardly  be  a  statement 
more  palpably  erroneous ;— a  -statement  more  un- 
equivocally contradicted  by  th£  New-Testament  it- 
self, and  all  the  most  authentick  records  of  early  an- 
tiquity. 

And,  as  the  office  of  which  we  speak  has,  either 
substantially  or  formally,  existed  in  all  ages,  so  its 
object  lias  been  ever  the  same.     Not  to  establish  a 
set  of  "lords  over  God's  heritage?'   not  to  forma 
i:  privileged   order"   in  the  community;    not  to  ex- 
ercise a  spiritual  despotism  over  the  understandings 
and  consciences  of  men  :    not  even  to  supersede  the 
attention  of  men  to  their  own  spiritual   interests ; 
but  to  stimulate,  to  guide,  and,  in  various  ways,  to 
assist  them  in  this  attention.     Every  private  indivi- 
dual, indeed,  is,  of  course,  responsible  for  his  own 
moral  character.     Every  one  who  comes  within  the 
reach  of  the  gospel,  is  to  inquire,  to  believe,  and  to 
obey  for  himself,  and  for  himself  to  receive  the  re- 
ward of  his  deeds  ;    and  if  he  neglect  his  duty,  no 
diligence  on  the  part  of  others  can  avail  him.     Yet, 
at  the  same  time,  every  minister   of  religion   is  no 
less   responsible   for   all   the  instructions  which   he 
gives,  and   for  all  his  fidelity,  or  the  want  of  it,  in 
leading  those  around  him  into  the  way  of  truth  and 
salvation.     And  il  any  perish  through  his  unfaithful- 
ness, 4'  their  Hood  will  be  required  at  his  hands.'' 
My  object,  my  beloved  voting  friends,  in  the  pre- 


sent  address,  is  to  call  your  attention  to  the  un- 
speakable IMPORTANCE  OF  THE    SACRED   OFFICE  TO 

which  you  aspire;  to  show  that  the  character  of 
those  who  bear  it,  is  vitally  interesting  to  the  Church 
of  God  ;  that  whenever  the  Church  is  extended  and 
built  up,  Ministers  are  instrumental  in  conferring 
the  blessing  ;  that  whenever  she  is  corrupted  and 
degraded,  Ministers  are  the  guilty  agents  in  accom- 
plishing the  mischief;  and,  in  short,  that  what 
Ministers  are,  the  Church  will  always  be. 

This,  I  have  no  doubt,  will  appear  if  we  consi- 
der,— 

1.  The  great  design  of  the  office  itself. 
The  importance  of  any  institution  is  plainly  to  be 
measured  by  the  objects  which  it  is  intended  to  pro- 
mote ;  by  the  purposes  which  it  is  appointed  and 
adapted  to  accomplish.  Estimated  by  this  standard, 
the  importance  of  the  Gospel  Ministry  is  literally 
infinite.  What  is  its  great  design  ?  It  is  nothing 
less  than  to  publish,  explain,  and  recommend  the 
Religion  of  Jesus  Christ ;  to  proclaim  its  glad  ti- 
dings, and  to  extend  its  holy  reign.  But,  is  this  re- 
ligion of  any  real  value  to  mankind  ?  Is  it  of  any 
importance  that  the  children  of  men  be  instructed  in 
the  way  of  salvation  ;  that  they  be  brought  under 
the  genuine  power  of  the  Gospel ;  that  their  sins 
be  pardoned;  that  their  hearts  be  sanctified;  that 
their  evil  habits  be  subdued  ;  that  their  unhallowed 
affections  and  lusts  be  crucified ;  and  that  they  be 
prepared  for  every  holy  duty  and  enjoyment  here, 
and  for  eternal  blessedness  hereafter  ?  Nothing  can 
be  plainer  than  that  these  are  matters  in  compa- 


9 

rison  with  which  all  the  temporal  interests  of 
men  are  as  the  small  dust  of  the  balance,  weighed 
against  the  everlasting  mountains.  Yet  these  are  the 
great  matters  about  which  Ministers  of  the  Gospel 
are  primarily  and  constantly  conversant.  The  grand 
object  of  their  commission  is  to  turn  men  from  dark- 
ness to  light ;  from  satan  to  God ;  from  pollution, 
condemnation  and  misery,  to  purity,  pardon  and 
happiness;  and  finally  to  the  enjoyment  of  an  incor- 
ruptible crown,  an  undefiled  inheritance,  an  exceed- 
ing and  eternal  weight  of  glory  in  the  heavens. 

It  might  be  supposed,  indeed,  that  a  system  so 
pure,  reasonable  and  glorious  as  the  Gospel  of  Jesus 
Christ,  when  once  made  known,  would  always  be 
found  to  work  its  own  way  in  the  world,  without 
the  efforts  of  the  living  teacher  to  urge  it  on  the  at- 
tention and  the  consciences  of  men.  But  the  word 
of  God  gives  us  no  warrant  to  expect  such  a  result, 
and  all  experience  is  equally  against  it.  The  car- 
nal  mind  is  enmity  against  God.  The  natural  man 
receiveth  not  the  things  of  the  Spirit  of  God;  theij 
are  foolishness  unto  him.  So  that,  left  to  himself, 
no  one  would  embrace  or  obey  the  Gospel.  To  say 
nothing,  therefore,  of  the  unnumbered  millions  of 
our  world's  population,  who  have  never  heard  the 
Gospel,  and  who  can  never  be  expected  to  hear  it 
"  without  preachers,"  Ministers  may  be  said  to  be 
indispensable  for  maintaining  the  power  of  the  Gos- 
pel, even  where  it  is  already  established.  To  keep 
alive  religion  in  the  world;  to  prevent  christian 
knowledge,  publick  worship,  the  Sabbath,  and  the 
various  ordinances  of  social  piety  from  utterly  per- 

n 


lshias:  among  men;  in  short,  to  preserve  those  who 
have  enjoyed  Christianity  from  relapsing  into  real 
heathenism,  it  is  necessary  that  ministers  of  religion 
be  constantly  employed  to  rouse  men  to  a  sense  of 
their  condition.  It  is  necessary  not  only  that  the 
people  be  furnished  with  the  written  Word,  but 
also  with  the  living  teacher,  who  shall,  from  sab- 
bath to  sabbath,  and  from  house  to  house, 
bring  their  minds,  if  I  may  so  express  it,  into  con- 
tact with  that  Word,  and  constrain  them  to  give  it 
their  serious  and  practical  attention.  It  is  necessary 
that  they  be  called  together,  instructed  warned,  en- 
treated, conjured,  again  and  again,  day  by  day,  to 
attend  to  the  things  ichich  belong  to  their  peace. 
For  nearly  eighteen  centuries,  the  standing  means 
both  of  maintaining  and  extending  the  knowledge 
of  Christ  and  his  salvation  in  the  world,  has  been 
the  preaching  of  the  Gospel.  And  without  the  use 
of  this  divine  ordinance  still,  we  have  no  reason  to 
expect  either  that  sinners  will  be  converted,  or 
saints  edified  and  comforted.  It  is  not,  of  course., 
meant  to  be  intimated,  either  that  no  conversion  is 
ever  effected  but  by  means  of  the  authorized  minis- 
try ;  or  that  this  ministry  is  ever  made  effectual  by 
any  virtue  or  power  of  its  own.  But  the  position 
meant  to  be  maintained  is,  that  God.  in  his  sove- 
reign wisdom,  hath  appointed  and  promised  by  the 
foolishness  of  preaching  to  save  them  that  believe: 
that  consequently,  on  the  one  hand,  where  the  Gos- 
pel is  not  preached,  we  have  no  reason  to  expect 
that  the  work  of  conversion  and  salvation  will,  to 
any  extent,  go  forward  :  and  that,  on  the  other, 
where  it  is  faithfully  and  ably  dispensed,  it  will  s_e- 


il 

neraliy  be   accompanied  in  a  greater  or  less  degree, 
with  a  sanctifying  and  saving  power. 

Now,  if  these  things  be  so,   then   it  follows  that 
the  best  interests  of  the  community,  and  especially 
the  vital  interests  of  the  church   of  God, — her  or- 
thodoxy, purity,  life,  peace,  and  enlargement,  may 
be  said  to  be  suspended  on  the  character  of  her 
ministry.     Where  there  are  no  ministers,  it  is  ob- 
vious that  there  can  be  no  church,  no  organized,  vi- 
sible Christianity.     And  where  there  is  an  existing 
ministry,  it  is  equally  evident  that  the  church  must, 
from  the  nature  of  things,   bear  the  same  character 
with  those  who  are  the  appointed  medium  for  con- 
veying to  her  the  aliment  on  which  she   lives,  and 
the  principles  by  which  she  is  guided.     If  men  be 
either  not  instructed  at  all,  or  taught  erroneously, 
the  consequences  may  be  equally  fatal.    If  the  blind 
lead  the  blind,  we  know   what  infinite  wisdom  has 
told  us  will  ensue.     None  under  the  name  of  min- 
isters can  hope  to  be  instrumental  in  promoting  the 
true  welfare  of  men,   but  those  who  have  both  the 
ability  and  the  disposition  to  lead  them  in  the  right 
way.     If  they  be,  generally,  enlightened,   fervently 
pious,  and  really  faithful,  not  only  in  preaching  the 
pure  Gospel,  but   also  in  the   discharge  of  all  their 
public  and  private  duties;  true  religion  both  in  prin- 
ciple and  practice,   will  be  extensively  understood, 
valued,  and   prevalent.     But  if,  on   the   contrary, 
they  be  as  a  body,  ignorant,  unfaithful,  erroneous  in 
doctrine,   or  corrupt  in  practise  ;  if  they  be  proud, 
ambitious,  worldly-minded,  contentious,   and  negli- 
gent of  the    best  interests  of  men;  real   religion 


12 

will  as  certainly  bo  despised  and  decline,  as  any  ne- 
cessary effect  will   result  from  the   presence  of  its 
cause.     Nay,    only  let  ministers  be  indolent,  and 
forgetful  of  the  ereat  end  and  duties  of  their  office, 
and  spiritual  desolation  and  death  will  as  assuredly 
reiirn  around  them,  as  darkness  will  ensue  in  the  ab- 
sence  of  the  solar   rays.     In  short,  if  human  nature 
be  such  as  the  Bible  represents  it,— earthly,  sensu- 
al, proud,  selfish,  and  backward  to  all  that  is  spirit- 
ually good  ;   if  no  other  remedy  than  that  which  the 
Gospel    furnishes,   be  either    adapted    or   effectual 
to  the  healing  of  our  moral  disease;    and  if  all 
scripture  and  all  experience  teach  us  that  this  reme- 
dy cannot  be  expected  to  display  its  healing  power, 
any  further  than  it  is  unremittingly  exhibited   and 
applied,  by  those  who  are  appointed  to  execute  this 
holy   and  benevolent   office ;   then  nothing  can   be 
plainer  than  that,  if  they  be  essentially  deficient,  ei- 
ther in  orthodoxy,  skill  or  fidelity,  the  moral  pesti- 
lence which  they  are  commissioned  to  cure,  must 
rage  with  uncontrouled  fury.     It    would   require  a 
constant  course  of  miracles  to  prevent  consequences 
the  most  disastrous  from  covering  the  face  of  society. 
When  we  consider,  moreover,   that  the  publick 
preaching  of  the  Gospel  is  almost  the  only  means  of 
instruction  in  morals  and  religion  which  a  large  por- 
tion of  mankind  enjoy;  when  we  reflect  that  the 
minds  of  men,  if  not  occupied  with  truth  and  holi- 
ness, will  be  unavoidably  occupied  with  falsehood, 
with  superstition,  and  with  numberless  forms  of  cor- 
ruption ;  and  when  we  remember,  too,  that  the  eyes 
of  all,   enemies  as  well  as  friends,  are  habitually 


13 

turned  toward  ministers  of  religion,  either  for  the 
purpose  of  imitating  their  example,  or  of  deriving 
from  their  delinquencies  encouragement  in  infidelity 
and  sin  ; — when  these  things  are  considered,  surely 
it  is  not  easy  to  overrate  the  importance  of  the  altered 
office  to  all  the  best  interests  of  the  church,  and  of 
mankind.  Surely,  it  is  of  unspeakable,  nay  of  infi- 
nite moment,  that  the  man  who  undertakes  to  in- 
struct his  fellow  men  in  the  things  of  God,  and  sal- 
vation ;  who  is,  as  it  were,  their  mouth  in  speaking 
to  God,  and  the  mouth  of  God  in  speaking  to  them ; 
who  dispenses  the  sacraments  to  them  and  their 
children;  who  administers  instruction  and  consola- 
tion to  the  sick  and  the  dying; ;  who  undertakes,  in  a 
word,  to  be  the  teacher,  the  counsellor  and  the  guide 
of  his  fellow  sinners,  in  seeking  temporal  and  eternal 
happiness; — surely  it  is  of  infinite  importance  that  he 
who  is  charged  with  these  high  duties,  should  be 
wise,  holy,  faithful,  diligent,  self-denied,  and  exem- 
plary. On  his  character  and  conduct,  the  interests 
of  eternity  as  well  as  of  time,  are  every  hour  sus- 
pended. A  minister  of  religion  cannot  be  a  neutral 
or  indifferent  member  of  society.  He  will  be  a  bless- 
ing or  a  curse  wherever  he  is.  And  a  blessing  or  a 
curse,  in  most  cases,  proportioned  to  the  degree  in 
which  he  is  pious  and  faithful,  or  the  reverse. 

II.  Let  us  next  attend  to  some  of  the  statements 

OF  SCRIPTURE  ON    THIS  SUBJECT. 

These  correspond,  most  perfectly,  with  the  fore- 
going representations: — importing,  that  when  the 
spiritual  guides  of  the  people  are  wise  and  faithful, 
the  church  is  always  blessed  ;    and  that  when  thev 


are  ignorant,  selfish  and  corrupt,  she  never  fails  to 
suffer,  and  generally  in  direct  proportion  to  the  de- 
gree of  their  delinquency. 

On  the  one  hand,  faithful  ministers  are  promised 
in  scripture  as  a  great  blessing,  and  their  labours 
represented  as  a  pledge  of  rich  benefits,  both  tempo- 
ral and  spiritual.     /  will  give  you  pastors,  saith  Je- 
hovah, by  the  prophet,  after  mine  own  heart,  who 
shall  feed  you  with  knowledge  and  ivilh  understand- 
ing.    And   again,  by  the   same  prophet,  /  ivill  set 
shepherds  over  them,  which  shall  feed  them.     And 
what  is  represented  as  the  consequence  to  those  who 
are  thus  fed  ?     They  shall  fear  no  more,  nor  be  dis- 
77iayed,  neither  shall  they  he  lacking,  saith  the  Lord- 
And  again,  the  great  Head  of  the  church,  in  describ- 
ing that  period  when  Zion  shall  eminently  flourish; 
says,  /  have  set  watchmen  upon  thy  walls,  0  Jerusa- 
lem, which  shall  never  hold  their  peace,  day  nor  night : 
— and  concerning  that  period,  he  adds,  Behold,  the 
Lord  hath  proclaimed  unto  the  end  of  the  world, — 
Say  ye  to  the  daughter  of  Zion — Behold,  thy  salva- 
tion cometh ;   behold,  his  reward  is  with  him,  and  his 
ioork  before  him.     Thou  shalt  no  more  be  termed 
Forsaken  ;   neither  shall  thy  land  any  more  be  termed 
Desolate :    but  thou  shalt  be  called  Htphzi-bah,  (that 
is — My  delight  is  in  her),  and  thy  land  Beulah,  (that 
is — Married) ;  for  the  Lord  delighteth  in  thee,  and 
thy  land  shall  be  married* 

On  the  other  hand,  the  unfaithfulness  of  ministers 
is,  every  where,  represented  in  scripture,  not  only 

'   ''Tomiah  hi.  15.  xxiii.  4.    Isaiah  lsii.  4,  6, 11. 


15 

as  an  aggravated  sin ;  but  also  as  a  source  of  incal- 
culable injury  to  the  church,  and  to  ail  the  interests 
of  social  order.  The  following  specimen  of  inspired 
language  on  this  subject,  is  of  the  most  decisive 
character.  Thus  saith  the  Lord,  the  Pastors  are 
become  brutish,  and  have  not  sought  the  Lord; 
therefore  they  shall  not  prosper,  and  all  their 
flocks  shall  be  scattered.  Mine  heart  within 
me  is  broken  because  of  the  prophets  ;  for  both  pro- 
phet  and  priest  are  profane  :  they  walk  in  lies;  they 
strengthen  the  hands  of  evil  doers,  so  that 
none  doth  return  from  his  wickedness.  Thus  saith 
the  Lord,  from  the  prophets  is  profaneness 
gone  forth  into  all  the  land.  If  they  had  stood 
in  my  counsel,  and  had  caused  my  people  to  hear  my 
ivords,  then  they  would  have  turned  them  from  the 
evil  of  their  doings.  But  they  have  caused  my  peo- 
ple to  forget  my  name.  Therefore,  I  am  against  the 
prophets,  saith  the  Lord.  Pastors  have  destroy- 
ed my  vineyard  ;  they  have  trodden  my  portion  un- 
derfoot ;  they  have  made  my  pleasant  portion  a  de- 
solate wilderness.  Son  of  man,  prophesy  against  the 
shepherds  of  Israel;  prophesy  and  say  unto  them, 
Thus  saith  the  Lord  God  unto  the  shepherds —  Woe 
be  to  the  shepherds  of  Israel,  that  do  feed  themselves. 
Should  not.  the  shepherds  feed  their  flocks  ?  Ye  eat 
the  fat,  and  ye  clothe  you  with  the  wool;  ye  kill  them 
that  are  fat ;  but  ye  feed  not  'the  flock.  The  diseas- 
ed have  ye  not  strengthened,  neither  have  ye  healed 
that  which  ivas  sick,  neither  have  ye  bound  up  that 
which  was  broken,  neither  have  ye  brought  again  that 
which  was  driven  away,  neither  have  ye  sought  that 


16 

which  was  lost ;  but  ivith  force  and  ivith  cruelty  have 
ye  ruled  them.  And  they  were  scattered,  and  they 
became  meat  to  all  the  beasts  of  the  field,  when  they 
were  scattered.  Hear  this,  0  ye  priests,  and  hear- 
ken ;  for  judgment  is  toward  you,  because  ye  have 
been  a  snare  on  Mizpah,  and  a  net  spread  upon  Ta- 
bor. My  people  are  destroyed  for  lack  of  knowledge ; 
because  thou  hast  rejected  knowledge,  I  ivill  also  re- 
ject thee,  that  thou  shalt  be  no  priest  unto  me :  seeing 
thou  hast  forgotten  the  law  of  thy  God,  I  ivill  also 
forget  thy  children.  There  shall  be  like  people, 
like  priest;  and  I  will  punish  them  for  their  ways, 
and  reward  them  for  their  doings.  Thus  saith  the 
Lord  God,  Woe  unto  the  foolish  prophets,  that  follow 
their  own  spirits,  and  have  seen  nothing.  O  Israel, 
thy  prophets  are  like  the  foxes  in  the  deserts.  There- 
fore, thus  saith  theLord,  because  they  have  spoken  van- 
ity, and  seen  lies,  therefore,  behold,  I  am  against  themy 
saith  the  Lord  God.  Because  they  have  seduced  my 
people,  saying,  Peace,  peace,  when  there  was  no  peace : 
and  one  built  up  a  wall,  and  lo,  others  daubed  it  with 
untempered  mortar.  Therefore,  I  will  break  down 
the  wall,  and  it  shall  fall,  and  ye  shall  be  consumed 
in  the  midst  thereof;  and  ye  shall  know  that  I  am 
the  Lord.  0  ye  jmests,  ye  have  departed  out  of  the 
way ;  ye  have  caused  many  to  stumble  at  the  law. 
Therefore  have  I  made  you  contemptible  before  all 
the  people,  according  as  ye  have  not  kept  my  ivays." 

It  were  easy  to  fill   many  pages  with  quotations 
from  the  Old  Testament,  which  speak  in  a  similar 

•  Jer.  x.  18,  21.  xii.  10.  xxii.  0,  14,  15,23,  27,  30.    Ezek.  xxxiv.2,  3,  4. 
.">.  Hosea,  iv.  6, 9,  10.  v.  1.    Ezck.  xiii.  4,  8,  9,  10.    Malachi,  ii.  S-. 


n 


strain.  And  the  same  language  is  continued  in  the 
New  Testament.  There  we  read  of  " false  teach- 
ers;" of  teachers  "reprobate  concerning  the  truth  ;" 
of  men  who,  by  their  false  doctrines,  and  unhallow- 
ed practices,  "  overthrew  the  faith"  of  those  around 
them ;  of  men  who  "sought  their  own,  not  the  things 
ivhich  are  Jesus  Christs."  And  we  are  assured,  that 
such,  not  only  "  brought  upon  themselves  swift  de- 
struction ;"  but  that "  many  followed  their  pernicious 
ways"  and  that,  on  their  account,  "  the  way  of  truth 
ivas  evil  spoken  of"  In  short,  in  every  part  of  scrip- 
ture, we  find  error  in  doctrine,  and  corruption  in 
practice,  in  the  church,  uniformly  traced  to  the  igno- 
rance, unfaithfulness,  or  profligacy  of  those,  whose 
office  and  whose  duty  it  was  to  have  been  teachers 
and  guides  of  the  people.  The  language  before 
quoted  of  the  inspired  prophet — "like  people,  like 
priests"  may  be  considered  as  an  epitome  of  all  the 
scriptural  statements  on  this  subject. 

III.    The  great  principle  which  it  is  my  present 
object  to  establish,  is  further  confirmed  by  all  the 

ANALOGIES      AND     FACTS      WHICH     PERVADE     EVERY 
SPECIES   OF  SOCIETY. 

In  the  family  circle — if  the  parents,  the  natural 
instructors  and  guides  of  youth,  be  ignorant,  unprin- 
cipled, profane,  or  profligate  ;  who  does  not  expect, 
as  a  matter  of  course,  to  find  the  children  walking 
in  the  same  steps  of  ignorance,  pollution  and  shame  ? 
And  if  they  be  found  to  possess  the  opposite  charac- 
ter, who  does  not  regard  it  as  a  kind  of  moral  mira- 
cle? Nay,  in  the  estimation  of  the  wise,  it  is  not 
necessary  that  a  parent  be  profligate,  in  order  to  be 

c 


a  curse  to  his  children.  Such  is  the  tendency  of 
human  nature  to  sink  down  into  darkness  and  ruin, 
that  indolence  alone,  on  his  part,  may  effectually  de- 
stroy them.  Only  let  him  entirely  neglect  their  in- 
tellectual and  moral  culture,  and  he  will  probably 
train  them  up  to  be  miserable  vagabonds,  a  disgrace 
to  himself,  and  the  pests  of  society. 

In  like  manner,  in  a  seminary  of  learning;  do  we 
not  always  find  the  attainments  and  character  of  the 
taught,  to  bear  a  distinct  proportion  to  those  of  the 
teacliers?  If  those  who  occupy  the  place  of  instruc- 
tors be  grossly  defective  either  in  scholarship  or  di- 
ligence, who  can  reasonably  suppose  that  they  will 
succeed  in  the  propagation  of  sound  knowledge  ?  If 
preceptors  be  ignorant,  it  were  strange,  indeed,  to 
find  their  pupils  well  instructed.  If  those  who  arc 
employed  to  cultivate  the  minds,  and  form  the  habits 
of  the  young,  be  incompetent  to  the  discharge  of 
their  duties,  and  set  an  unworthy  example,  how  can 
learning,  and  virtue,  and  order,  be  expected  to  reign 
among  those  committed  to  their  care?  As  well  might 
we  expect  darkness  to  beget  light,  or  vice  to  propa- 
gate virtue.  And  if  the  degeneracy  should  become 
so  wide-spread,  as  that  the  whole  body  of  literary 
teachers  in  a  country,  at  the  same  time,  should  be 
unqualified  and  unfaithful,  would  not  the  general 
interests  of  literature,  necessarily,  and  as  a  matter 
of  course,  be  every  where  utterly  degraded  ?  If  the 
fountains  be  corrupt,  the  streams,  surely,  cannot  be 
pure  and  salutary.  It  is  impossible.  What  the  form- 
er are,  the  latter  will  ever  be. 

The  same  principle  applies  to  the  civil  community* 


19 

Legislators  and  magistrates  give  law  to  those  around 
them,  not  only  by  official  enactments,  but  also  by 
their  example,  and  by  the  incalculable  power  of  their 
influence.  When,  therefore,  they  throw  the  whole 
weight  of  their  example  and  influence,  whatever 
may  be  their  amount,  into  the  scale  of  order,  virtue, 
and  true  religion,  the  consequence  is  always  happy. 
There  never  was  an  instance  of  this  being  thorough- 
ly done,  by  leading  men,  as  a  body,  without  giving 
a  tone  to  publick  sentiment  and  practice  of  the  most 
benign  character.  And,  on  the  contrary,  there  never 
was  an  instance  of  their  generally  taking  an  opposite 
course,  without  producing  effects  of  the  most  injuri- 
ous kind  on  publick  morals  and  happiness.  If  it 
be  true,  in  every  walk  and  connexion  of  life,  that 
one  sinner  dtstroyeth  much  good ;  it  is  equally  true, 
that  one  truly  pious  and  exemplary  man  produceth 
much  good.  But  when  that  sinner,  or  that  pious 
man,  holds  a  conspicuous  and  influential  place  in  so- 
ciety, who  can  set  bounds  to  the  good  or  the  evil 
which  he  may,  and  probably  will,  occasion?  Every 
additional  degree  of  elevation  which  he  holds,  or 
of  influence  which  he  possesses,  will  render  him  a 
greater  blessing,  or  a  heavier  curse,  each  day  that 
he  lives.  In  a  word,  as  the  general  character  of  the 
Rulers  of  a  nation  is,  so  will  the  nation  itself  cer- 
tainly prove. 

But.  if  this  principle  apply  to  every  other  class  of 
rulers  and  leaders  among  men,  much  more  essentially 
and  solemnly  does  it  apply  to  ministers  of  the  gospel. 
Because  the  great  interests  intrusted  to  their  official 
administration,  are  infinitely  more  momentous  than 


JU 


the  highest  of  those  which  secular  men,  as  such,, 
can  ever  pursue  ;  because,  in  spiritual  things,  we 
stand  in  more  pressing  need  of  stimulants,  and  gui- 
dance, and  aid,  than  in  temporal  pursuits  ;  and  be- 
cause the  consequences  of  the  influence  which  minis- 
ters exert,  and  of  the  impressions  which  they  make, 
not  only  affect  this  mortal  life,  but  stretch  into  eter- 
nity. The  highest  object  which  kings,  emperors, 
and  legislators  ever  propose  to  themselves,  in  their 
fondest  plans,  is  the  advancement  of  population, 
wealth,  external  tranquillity,  and  temporal  happiness. 
None  of  them  ever  sought  the  sanctification  of  the 
human  heart,  and  the  everlasting  welfare  of  men,  as 
the  ultimate  end  of  their  plans.  But  the  great  end 
of  that  kingdom  which  faithful  ministers  recommend 
and  promote,  while  it  includes  many  subordinate 
benefits,  is  moral  and  eternal  blessedness.  Of  this 
kingdom  alone  it  may  be  said,  that  it  is  not  meat 
and  drink,  but  righteousness  and  peace  and  joy  in  the 
Holy  Ghost.  And  to  him  alone  who  is  immediately 
instrumental  in  saving  or  destroying  a  soul,  do  the 
highest  responsibilities  attach  of  which  man  is  capa- 
ble. When  other  leading  men  in  the  community  act 
their  part,  they  will,  no  doubt,  exert  some  degree  of 
influence  on  the  moral  as  well  as  the  secular  inte- 
rests of  men ;  but  the  activity  of  ministers  of  the 
gospel  is  primarily  destined  to  affect,  and,  to  the 
whole  extent  of  its  influence,  does  affect  the  spiritual 
and  eternal  interest  of  all  within  the  sphere  of  their 
ministrations. — I  have  only  to  add — 

IV.  That  all  these  reasonings  are   abundantly^ 

CONFIRMED  BY  THE  VOICE  OF  HISTORY. 


21 

The  direct  declarations  of  Scripture  on  the  general 
truth  before  us,  have  been  already  considered.  Its 
historical  information  is  equally  striking  and  deci- 
sive. Search  the  inspired  history,  from  beginning 
to  end,  and  you  shall  find,  that  just  in  proportion  as 
ministers  of  religion  were  enlightened  and  holy,  faith- 
ful and  diligent,  the  purity  and  prosperity  of  the 
church  were  established.  Whether  during  the  Pa- 
triarchal  or  Mosaic k.  dispensations;  whether  under 
judges  or  kings,  it  was  ever  the  same.  Wherever 
the  spiritual  instructors  and  guides  were  sound  and 
devoted  men,  religion,  in  a  considerable  degree,  flour- 
ished ;  truth  was  maintained ,  idolatry  was  frowned 
upon;  and  order  and  happiness  abounded.  And 
whenever  God,  after  long  spiritual  declension  among 
his  people,  intended  mercy  for  them,  and  a  happy 
revival  ui  their  bondage,  we  never  find  Him  accom- 
plishing his  purpose  by  miracle,  but  always  by  the 
use  of  human  instruments,  and  generally  by  his  com- 
missioned servants.  He  seldom  failed  to  raise  up 
able  and  devoted  men  to  enlighten,  reform  and  sanc- 
tify the  people.  But  whenever  the  prevailing  cha- 
racter of  those  who  bore  the  sacred  office  became 
corrupt,  a  scene  the  sad  reverse  of  all  this  was  dis- 
closed on  every  side.  Truth  and  justice  were  trod- 
den down  in  the  streets.  Divine  institutions  were 
dishonoured.  Idolatry  lifted  its  head.  And  publick 
profligacy  and  misery  followed  in  its  train.  This 
was  so  steadily  the  course  of  things  throughout-  the 
whole  of  the  Old-Testament  economy,  that  to  quote 
all  the  examples  of  it  on  record,  would  be  to  repeat 
the  greater  part  of  the  Jewish  scriptures.     On  the 


22 

owe  hand,  the  revivals  of  religion  which  occurred  re- 
peatedly, under  the  auspices  of  faithful  men,  raised 
up  bv  God  for  the  purpose,  in  the  time  of  the  Judges, 
and  afterwards  in  the  time  of  Ezra,  of  Nehemiah,  and 
of  the  Asmonean  witnesses  of  the  truth  :  and,  on 
the  other  hand,  the  pernicious  influence  of  unsancti- 
oned teachers,  from  time  to  time ;  the  conduct  of 
Hophni  and  Phinehas,  who,  by  their  unworthy  con- 
duct, caused  the  people  to  despise  the  offerings  of  the 
Lord;  the  conduct  of  the  sons  of  Samuel,  who  be- 
came sources  of  deep  corruption  and  disaffection 
among  the  people  ;  and  the  deplorable  spirit,  habits? 
and  influence  of  the  Priests  and  Scribes,  before  the 
captivity,  after  the  captivity,  and  during  our  Lord's 
ministry  on  earth, — all  bear  witness  to  the  correct- 
ness of  the  principle  which  I  am  endeavouring  to  es- 
tablish. 

When  the  New-Testament  church  was  set  up 
under  a  more  spiritual  form,  the  ministers  commis- 
sioned to  go  forth,  and  preach  the  Gospel,  with  Paul 
at  their  head,  were  men,  we  know,  of  a  peculiarly 
devoted  spirit.  They  were  endowed  not  only  with 
extraordinary  gifts,  but  also  with  large  measures  of 
grace  They  meddled  not  with  the  kingdoms  of 
this  world.  They  aspired  to  no  earthly  distinctions. 
They  employed  no  "carnal  weapons."  They  un- 
dertook not  to  be  "judges  or  dividers"  among  the 
people.  But  setting  one  object  alone  before  them 
— the  advancement  of  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  in  all 
its  simplicity  and  purity,  they  pursued  that  object 
with  zeal,  with  indefatigable  labour,  and  with  un- 
ceasing prayer,  day  and  night ;  "  giving  themselves 


'_•» 


wholly"  to  their  work;  shrinking  from  no  privation  ; 
intimidated  by  no  danger;  counting  all  things  but 
loss  for  the  excellency  of  Christ;  and  not  regarding 
even  their  lives  as  dear  to  them,  so  that  they  might  finish 
their  course  with  joy,  and  the  ministry  which  they 
had  received  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  How  striking  the 
delineation  of  the  character,  and  the  narrative  of  the 
ministry  of  these  holy  men  !  What  sacred  elevation 
of  sentiment  and  affection  !  What  zeal!  What  hu- 
mility !  What  disinterestedness  !  What  abstraction 
from  the  pleasures  and  honours  of  the  world  !  What 
devotedness  to  their  Master's  glory,  and  to  the  salva- 
tion of  souls!  What  unwearied  labour  in  preaching 
and  instructing  from  house  to  house !  What  holiness 
of  example  "in  all  manner  of  conversation."  ! 

And  w  hat  were  the  effects  of  the  ministrations 
of  such  men  ?     The  most  decisive  and  happy.     The 
Lord  followed  their  labours  with  an  abundant  bless- 
ing.    More  was  done  in  the  propagation  of  the  ge- 
nuine Gospel,  during  the  first  century,  than  in  any 
other,  from  that  period  to  the  present  hour.     None 
of  those  devoted  missionaries  laboured  in  vain.      The 
word  of  the  Lord  had  free  course,  and  was  glorified. 
Much  people  were  added  to  the  Lord.     As  long  as 
the  ministers  of  Christ  maintained  this  character,  not 
all  the  wisdom  of  "  Philosophy  falsely  so   called;" 
not  all  the  frowns  of  an  anti-christian  government: 
nay,  not  all  the  terrors  of  martyrdom,  could  obstruct 
the  course  of  the  new  and  heaven-born  system  which 
they  taught.     Though  they  were   persecuted   from 
city  to  city  ;    persecuted  to  prison  and  to  death  ;  ha- 
ted of  all  men,  and  tfieir  names  cast  forth  as  rile,  for 


24i 

the  sake  of  the  holy  and  gracious  message  which  they 
proclaimed  ;  still  that  message  went  on  "  conquer- 
ing and  to  conquer."  Greed  multitudes  believed  and 
were  added  to  the  Lord,  both  men  and  women :  And 
the  word  of  God  increased,  and  the  number  of  the 
disciples  multiplied  greatly;  and  great  compemies  be- 
came obedient  to  the  faith.  And  the  churches  had 
rest  and  were  edified,  and  walking  in  the  fear  of  the 
Lord,  and  in  the  comfort  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  were 
multiplied.  Nor  was  this  the  case  merely  in  Judea, 
in  Samaria,  and  in  Galilee,  but  also  in  Syria,  in 
Asia-Minor,  in  Rome,  in  Greece,  and,  indeed, 
throughout  the  greater  part  of  the  known  world. 

It  is  not  denied,  indeed,  that  in  several  of  the 
churches  of  which  we  have  accounts,  during  the 
lives  of  these  devoted  ministers  of  Christ,  we  read  of 
dissensions  arising,  of  false  doctrines  being  introduced, 
and  of  corrupt  practices  gaining  ground.  But,  w'ile 
we  admit  that  the  apostles  were  not  perfect,  more 
than  oiher  men  ;  and  that,  as  long  as  human  beings 
preach,  and  administer  the  affairs  of  the  church,  some 
degree  of  imperfection  may  be  expected  to  mark  every 
work  and  society  with  which  they  are  connected ; 
still  it  may  be  confidently  asserted,  that  the  difficulties 
and  corruptions  which  arose  in  the  apostolick  church- 
es, were  in  no  wise  inconsistent  with  the  doctrine 
which  I  maintain.  For,  in  every  instance  in  which 
heresy,  division,  or  immoral  practices  marked  the 
character  of  any  church  in  the  apostle's  days,  it  was, 
evidently,  the  work  of  weak  or  wicked  ministers  ; 
of  false  apostles,  judaizing  teachers,  or  men  other- 
wise unsound  and  unfaithful :  who,  coming  in.  brought 


J.'J 

wiili  them  erroi:,  suite,  and  every  evil  work.  I  can- 
not recollect  a  single  exception  to  this  statement. 
Corrupt  occupants  of  the  sacred  office,  or  miserable 
pretenders  to  that  office,  were  always  the  authors  of 
the  mischief. 

In  the  second  and  third  centuries,  we  mark  a  gra- 
dual, but  very  distinct  and  melancholy  decline,  both 
in  faith  and  practice,  throughout  the  whole  church. 
And  when  we  carefully  scrutinize  the  causes,  as  well 
as  the  circumstances  of  this  decline,  it  is  impossible 
not  to  consider  it  as  connected  with  a  corresponding 
decline  in  the  character  of  the  Clergy.     When  Jus- 
tin Martyr,  Clemens  of  Alexandria,  and  Origen,  toge- 
ther with  other  ministers,  whose  taste  and  character 
they  became  instrumental  in  perverting,  had  tarnished 
the  simplicity  and  purity  of  the  Gospel;  they  opened 
the  way  for   more  mischief  in  the   church  of  God, 
than,  with  all  their  learning  they  were  able  to  esti- 
mate, or,  with  all  their  good  intentions,  to  counteract. 
The  following  strong  picture  from  the  pen  of  Cyprian, 
will  show  that  there  was  at  that  time  clerical  degen- 
eracy enough  to  account  for  all  the  corruption,  in 
doctrine  and  practice,  which  then  existed,  or  which 
soon  followed. 

"  A  long  continuance  of  peace  and  security  had 
relaxed  the  rigour  of  that  holy  discipline  which  was 
delivered  to  us  from  above.     The  religion  of  the 

CLERGY     SLACKENED     AND     DECAYED;      the     faith    of 

priests  and  deacons  grew  languid  and  inactive ;  works 
of  charity  were  discontinued ;  and  an  universal 
license  and  corruption  prevailed.  Divers  bi- 
shops,  who  should  have  taught  both  by  their  exam- 

D 


tib 


pie  and  persuasion,  neglecting  their  high  trust,  and 
their  commission  from  above,  entered  upon  the  man- 
agement of  secular  affairs,  and  leaving  their  seat, 
and  their  charge  with  it,  wandered  about,  from  place 
to  place,  on  mercantile  business,  and  in  pursuit  of 
disreputable  gain.  Thus  the  poor  of  the  church 
were  miserably  neglected,  while  the  bishops,  who 
should  have  taken  care  of  them,  were  intent  upon 
nothing  but  their  own  private  profit,  which  they 
were  forward  to  advance  at  any  rate,  and  by  any, 
even  the  foulest  methods."* 

Origen  speaks  of  the  clergy  of  his  day,  in  lan- 
guage no  less  pointed  and  revolting.  "  If  Christ,'5 
says  he,  "  justly  wept  over  Jerusalem,  He  may  now, 
on  much  better  grounds,  weep  over  the  church,  which 
was  erected  to  the  end  that  it  might  be  an  house 
of  prayer ;  and  yet,  through  the  filthy  usury  of  some 
(and  I  wish  that  these  were  not  even  the  pastors 
of  the  people)  it  is  made  a  den  of  thieves."'1 

Eusebius,  who  lived  in  the  next  century,  writes 
in  the  same  strain  concerning  the  age  of  Cyprian. 
"When, through  too  much  liberty,  we  fell  into  sloth 
and  negligence  ;  when  every  one  began  to  envy  and 
backbite  another  ;  when  we  waged,  as  it  were,  an 
intestine  war  amongst  ourselves,  with  words  as  with 
swords  ;  pastors  rushed  against  pastors,  and  people 
against  people,  and  strife  and  tumult,  deceit  and 
guile  advanced  to  the  highest  pitch  of  wickedness. 
— Our  pastors,  despising  the  rule  of  religion,  strove 
mutually  with  one  another,  studying  nothing  more 

/''.  Lapsis,  Sect.  4.  I  In  Matt. p.  441 


than  how  to  outdo  each  other  in  strife,  emulations, 
hatred,  and  mutual  enmity ;  proudly  usurping 
prineipalities,  as  so  many  places  of  tyrannical  domi- 
nation. Then  the  Lord  covered  the  daugh- 
ter OF   ZlON  WITH  A  CLOUD  IN  HIS  ANGER."' 

If  such  were  the  character  of  the  clergy  in  the 
days  of  Origen  and  Cyprian,  we  have,  surely,  no 
reason  to  wonder  at  the  deep  degeneracy,  both  in 
doctrine  and  morals,  which  all  the  records  of  that 
time  show  to  have  begun  in  every  part  of  the  church, 
and  which  prepared  the  way  for  the  still  deeper  de- 
generacy which  marked  the  succeeding  age.  The 
teachers  and  leaders  of  the  church,  as  a  body,  were 
no  longer  faithful ;  and  it  would  have  been  miracu- 
lous, indeed,  if  the  church  herself  had  remained  pure 
and  harmonious. 

In  the  fourth  century,  when  Christianity  became, 
for  the  first  time,  the  established  religion  of  the  Ro- 
man Empire,  both  the  causes  and  the  symptoms  of 
spiritual  corruption,  became,  every  where,  more  pre- 
valent, and  more  strongly  marked.  And  the  first 
and  most  prominent  fact  which  strikes  us,  in  the 
gloomy  scene  which  followed  is,  the  degeneracy 
of  the  clergy.  Christ's  kingdom  is  not  of  this 
world.  Of  course,  the  moment  the  church  becomes 
united  with  the  civil  government,  under  whatever 
form,  she  suffers  a  kind  of  spiritual  prostitution, 
which  is  invariably  productive  of  both  pollution  and 
degradation.  When  Constantine  professed  to  be  a 
convert  to  the  religion  of  Christ,  (and  he  was,  pro- 
bably, never   more  than  a  mere  worshipper  in  the 

*  Hist.  Eccles.  Lib.  viii.  cap.  1. 


':: 


4  outer  court"  of  the  Christian  temple)  he  immedi 
ate  began  to  bestow  upon  its  institutions  and  minis- 
ters all  the  splendour  of  imperial  munificence.  The 
emperor,  and  his  subordinate  officers,  courted  and 
flattered  the  clergy  ;,  and  the  clergy,  in  their  turn, 
courted  and  flattered  the  great  men  of  the  empire ; — 
sought  their  smiles  ; — accepted  secular  endowments 
with  greediness  ; — were  found  in  places  at  court ; — 
and  became  the  sycophants  and  tools  of  men  in  pow- 
er. Their  suppleness,  luxury,  unhallowed  emula- 
tions, and  consequent  unfaithfulness,  led,  as  might 
have  been  expected,  to  a  corresponding  character 
among  the  body  of  visible  christians.  Again  the  Old 
Testament  adage,  "Like  priest,  like  people,"'* 
became  unhappily  and  signally  realized.  The  church 
exchanged  the  simplicity  of  truth,  and  the  beauty  of 
holiness,  for  the  habiliments  of  secular  splendour. 
And  then  set  in  that  full  tide  of  corruption  in  doctrine, 
order  and  morals,  which,  after  receiving  one  serious 
check  in  the  time  of  Augustine,  soon  issued  in  the 
Papal  apostacy  ;  and  transformed  the  chaste  Virgin, 
as  left  by  our  Lord  and  his  Apostles,  into  the  "  Mo- 
ther of  harlots  and  abominations."' 

During  the  dark  ages,  the  general  character  of 
the  clergy  was  such  as  we  might  suppose  likely  to 
produce,  and  be  produced  by,  the  character  of  the 
church.  Ignorant,  voluptuous,  ambitious,  conten- 
tious, and  profligate,  as  the  great  body  of  them  were, 
to  an  almost  incredible  degree,  they  continually  shed 
a  baleful  influence  all  around  them  ;  and,  instead  of 
being  teachers  of  truth  and  purity,  and  guides  to 
heaven :    they  became,  everv  where,  instructors  in 


/:• 


the  most  childish  superstitions,  panders  to  lust,  and 
ringleaders  in  all  wickedness.  If  truth,  and  decen- 
cy, and,  especially,  any  thing  like  christian  charac- 
ter existed  any  where,  they  were  sure  to  be  found 
in  the  respective  neighbourhoods  of  some  pious  min- 
isters of  Christ,  scattered  here  and  there,  who,  like 
glimmering  stars  in  a  dark  night,  were  lighting  a  fewr 
humble  souls  to  glory. 

Time  would  fail  me  in  entering  into  those  minute 
details  of  historical  induction  which  serve  to  illus- 
trate and  confirm  our  general  position.  But,  if  I 
mistake  not,  the  further  we  penetrate  into  the  re- 
cesses of  ecclesiastical  history,  the  more  numerous 
and  glaring  will  be  found  to  be  the  facts,  which  es- 
tablish, not  only  the  reality,  but  also  the  importance 
of  the  doctrine  which  it  is  my  aim  to  impress  upon 
your  minds. 

Who  were  the  authors  of  ninety-nine  parts  out  of 
an  hundred,  of  that  enormous  mass  of  superstition, 
which  now  forms,  and  has  for  ages  formed,  the  con- 
tents of  that  Augean  stable,  which  the  inspired  apos- 
tle styles  "  the  Man  of  sin,  the  son  of  perdition  ?'' 
Beyond  all  controversy,  Ecclesi as  iicks — ignorant, 
deluded,  vain,  or  profligate  Eccu  sias ticks. 

With  whom  have  originated  all  the  heresies. 
which,  from  the  birth  of  Christ,  to  this  hour,  have 
corrupted  and  divided  the  church,  and  given  rise  to 
some  of  her  most  fearful  calamities?  In  almost  eve- 
ry instance  their  authors  have  been  Ecclesias  hcks 
— philosophical  or  ambitious  Ecclesiasticks. 

Who  have  created  the  most  mischievous  parties 
and  schisms,  which  have  distracted  and  torn  the  bo- 


it. 

dy  of  Christ ;  alienated  his  ministers  from  eacli 
other ;  and  filled  Christendom  with  the  most  bitter 
and  unrelenting  warfare  ?  A  regard  to  truth  still  con- 
strains me  to  say,  that  selfish,  proud,  turbulent  Ec- 
clesiasticks  have  been  the  ringleaders  in  all  the 
mischief. 

Who  have  been,  in  almost  all  cases,  the  haughty 
and  cruel  persecutors  of  the  meek,  pious,  and  faithful 
witnesses  of  the  truth  ?  Who  have  been  most  active 
in  conducting  those  of  whom  the  ivorld  was  not  wor- 
thy, to  prison  and  to  death,  for  their  fidelity  to  God 
and  his  people  P  It  is  painful  to  repeat  the  sentence  ; 
— but  it  is  impossible  to  avoid  still  saying — Eccle- 
siasticks. 

Who  can  take  the  most  cursory  glance  at  the  ec- 
clesiastical history  of  Great  Britain,  in  the  seven- 
teenth century,  without  perceiving  how  possible, 
nay,  how  easy  it  is  for  a  bigoted,  pkoud,  and 
worldly  clergy  to  destroy,  in  a  few  years,  the 
spirituality  of  a  church,  to  banish  her  most  faithful 
ministers,  and  to  cover  her  with  darkness  and  deso- 
lation r  And  who  can  study,  ever  so  slightly,  the 
rise,  progress,  and  disasters  of  the  French  Hugue- 
nots, so  conspicuous,  at  one  period,  among  the  oious 
followers  of  the  Lamb,  without  being  convinced  that 
the  gradual  departure  of  their  Ministry  from  the 
doctrines  and  spirit  of  the  Reformation,  was  the 
principal  means  of  drawing  down  upon  them  those 
awful  judgments,  by  which  a  righteous  God  was 
pleased  to  reduce  and  scatter  them,  and  from  which 
they  have  never  recovered  to  the  present  day  ? 

On  the  contrary  ;    who  have  been  chiefly  instru- 


ol 

mental,  under  the  divine  blessing,  in  accomplishing 
all  the  happy  Reformations  which  have,  at  any  time, 
blessed  the  church?  Who  have  been  instrumental 
in  forming  new  and  thriving  congregations  ;  in  re- 
storing weak  and  declining  ones;  in  healing  eccle- 
siastical divisions ;  in  promoting  happy  revivals  of 
religion  ;  in  transforming  an  ignorant,  unpolished, 
and  heathen  population,  into  an  enlightened,  order- 
ly, and  pious  community ;  in  raising  the  standard  of 
intellect ;  in  promoting  the  growth  of  knowledge  ; 
in  encouraging  and  regulating  the  education  of 
youth  ;  in  diffusing  a  spirit  of  sound  morality  ;  in 
teaching  men  the  rights  of  conscience,  and  extend- 
ing a  love  of  civil  and  religious  liberty  ; — in  a  word, 
in  promoting  the  reign  of  truth,  order,  and  happiness, 
in  Church  and  State  ?  To  these  questions,  if  I  mis- 
take not,  the  voice  of  history  returns  a  very  un- 
equivocal response.  In  particular,  the  more  closely 
you  scrutinize  the  history  of  the  Waldenses  and 
Albigenses,  in  remoter  periods;  and  of  the  Protes- 
tant churches  of  England,  France,  Geneva,  Ger- 
many, Holland,  Scotland,  and  New  England,  in 
more  modern  times,  the  more  clearly  you  will  find 
them  to  speak  a  language  in  perfect  harmony  with 
the  great  principle  which  I  maintain :  viz.  That  no 

CHURCH  WAS  EVER  RUINED,  OR  ESSENTIALLY  INJUR- 
ED, BUT  BY  HER  OWN  MINISTERS:  OR  SIGNALLY 
BLESSED,  BUT  THROUGH  A  REVIVAL  OF  THEIR  ZEAL 
AND  FIDELITY. 

If  the  foregoing  representation  be  correct,  then 
we  may  infer. 

I.  That  the  Ministerial  Office  is  the  most,  inte 


32 

resting,  the  most  responsible,  the  most  awful 
under  heaven.  Every  minister  of  the  gospel  bears 
a  resemblance  to  his  Master  in  this  respect,  that  he 
is  set  for  the  rise  and  fall  of  many  in  Israel.  What 
he  is,  the  portion  of  the  church  with  which  he  is 
connected,  will  probably  be.  Most  other  men  may 
go  through  life  Without  exerting  such  a  vital  influ- 
ence, both  for  time  and  eternity.  But  on  his  cha- 
racter, example,  spirit,  and  preaching  are  continual- 
ly suspended  the  everlasting  realities  of  salvation  or 
perdition,  and  that  to  an  extent  which  no  human 
arithmetick  can  calculate.  He  does  not  deliver  a 
sermon,  or  take  a  step,  or  li\e  an  hour,  which  may 
not  take  hold  of  heaven  or  hell.  To  him  the  "  ark 
of  God"  is  committed,  and  an  unhallowed  touch 
may  draw  down  destruction,  not  only  on  himself, 
but  on  thousands.  Can  a  candidate  for  the  minis- 
try think  of  this,  and  not  tremble  ?  Is  not  this  a 
charge  weighty  enough,  and  momentous  enough  in 
its  consequences,  to  make  even  an  angel  tremble? 
No  wonder  that  some  great  and  good  men  have 
shrunk  from  the  thought  of  accepting  this  office  out 
of  pure  conscientiousness.  And,  let  me  add,  that 
that  youth  who,  in  contemplating  this- office,  does 
not  look  forward  to  it  with  a  sacred  awe;  who  does 
not  sit  down,  and  solemnly  "  count  the  cost*'  of  his 
undertaking;  and,  while  he  reposes  with  confidence 
in  the  power  and  faithfulness  of  his  God,  does  not 
often  ask  himself,  with  the  most  tender  and  prayer- 
ful solicitude —  Who  is  sufficient  for  these  things? 
— discovers  but  little  acquaintance  either  with  his 
own  heart,  or  with  the  magnitude  and  awfulness  of 


the  trust  which  he  seeks.  But,  while  1  say  this,  in 
fidelity  to  you,  my  young  friends,  I  must  also,  in 
fidelity  to  my  Master,  say — Let  no  young  man  who 
sincerely  loves  Christ  and  the  souls  of  men  ;  who 
earnestly  desires  the  gospel  ministry ;  and  to  whom 
the  great  Head  of  the  church  opens  the  regular  door 
of  entrance  into  the  office  ; — let  no  such  youn"-  man 
say, — "The  work  is  so  awful,  that  1  dare  not  ven- 
ture upon  it."  Of  every  such  youth  it  may  be  said, 
li  The  Lord  hath  need  of  him  ;"  and  for  discharging 
the  duties  of  this  high  trust,  he  may  safely  cast  him- 
self on  the  power  and  grace  of  Him  who  said  con- 
cerning his  ministers — Lo,  I  am  with  you  always, 
even  unto  the  end  of  the  world. 

2.  From  the  view  which  has  been  taken  of  this 
subject  we  may  infer,  how  various,  extensive,  and 

DIFFICULT  OF  ATTAINMENT,  are  the  QUALIFICATIONS 

which  fit  any  man  to  be  useful,  and,  especially,  in 
any  eminent  degree,  useful,  in  the  ministerial  office! 
— The  man  who  undertakes  to  instruct  hundreds, 
and,  perhaps,  thousands,  of  the  learned  as  well  as 
the  ignorant,  in  the  most  important  of  all  know- 
ledge : — the  man  who  offers  himself  as  an  expounder 
of  the  Bible,  the  most  difficult  book,  in  some  respects. 
in  the  world,  to  be  understood  and  explained  : — the 
man  who  proposes  to  act  as  a  spiritual  guide  to  im- 
mortal souls  ;  to  enlighten  the  perplexed  ;  to  counsel 
the  tempted;  to  satisfy  the  doubting;  to  silence  the 
bold  and  literary  infidel ;  to  refute  the  learned  and 
ingenious  heretick ;  and  to  stop  the  mouth  of  the 
artful  caviller: — the  man  who  undertakes  to  be  a 
watchman  on  the  watts  of  Zion,  to  discern  when  dan- 

E 


ger  is  approaching  ;  to  estimate  its  nature  and  mag- 
nitude, and  to  give  warning  accordingly  : — the  man, 
in  a  word,  who  is  preparing  to  go  forth  into  the 
church,  and  the  world,  as  an  adviser,  a  guide,  and 
a  helper  in  all  that  is  good ;  as  a  centre  of  light,  and 
counsel,  and  instruction,  and  consolation,  and  holy 
activity  to  thousands  ; — surely  such  a  man  ought  to 
have  many  qualifications  which  do  not  belong,  and 
are  not  necessary,  to  common  christians.  What  va- 
rious, and  extensive  knowledge  ;  especially,  what 
familiar  acquaintance  with  scripture;  what  deep 
and  ardent  piety;  what  prudence  ;  what  knowledge 
of  the  world  and  of  the  human  heart ;  what  com- 
mand of  his  own  spirit ;  what  zeal ;  what  patience ; 
what  capacity  for  labour;  what  diligence;  what 
perseverance,  are  indispensable  here !     That  no  man 

Without  UNFEIGNED   AND   EVEN  ARDENT    PIETY  OUght 

to  engage  in  the  duties  of  this  office,  is  conceded, 
even  by  those  who  have  no  piety  themselves.  But 
there  may  be  truly  pious  men,  who  are,  nevertheless, 
totally  unqualified  for  the  ministerial  work.  No 
ignorant  man ;  no  strikingly  weak  man ;  no  impru- 
dent man  ;  no  habitually  indolent  man ;  no  rash, 
headstrong,  turbulent,  contentious  man,  is  fit  to  be  a 
minister,  even  if  we  could  suppose  him  to  have  the 
piety  of  an  angel. 

3.  From  the  representation  which  has  been  given, 
we  may  infer,  that  candidates  for  the  holy  ministry 

OUGHT  TO  BE  IN  NO  HASTE  TO  TERMINATE  THEIR 
PREPARATORY  STUDIES,  AND  TO  ENTER  ON  THE  AC- 
TIVE duties  of  the  sacred  office.  When  we  re- 
flect on  the  various  attainments  and  qualifications 


35 

which  are  indispensable  to  the  able  and  faithful  dis- 
charge of  ministerial  duties;    how  much  digested 
knowledge,   sacred  and  profane ;    how  much  chris- 
tian experience  ;    how  much  familiarity  with  chris- 
tian casuistry ;  how  much  self  command  ;  and  what 
long  and  unwearied  labour  is  to  be  gone  through, 
not  only  in  storing  the  mind  and  the  heart  with  all 
requisite  ministerial  furniture;    but  also  in  forming 
such  habits  and  manners  as  shall  be  adapted  to  pro- 
mote official  usefulness.-— When  we  reflect  on  this, 
it  appears  equally  wonderful  and  humiliating,  that 
any  candidate  for  the  sacred  office  should  imagine. 
that  he  can  be  prepared  for  the  pulpit,  and  the  pas- 
toral charge,  in  a  few  brief  months  after  commenc- 
ing his  professional  studies !  It  is  difficult  to  conceive 
of  more  deep  delusion.     Does  not  the  apostle  ex- 
pressly prohibit  laying  hands  on  a  "novice  ?'.'    And 
what  is  a  "  novice,"  but  one  who  labours  under  tliSt 
deficiency  in  knowledge  and  practical' experience 
which  usually  characterizes  a  recent  convert  ?— It  is 
impossible  for  any  man,  whatever  may  be  his  talents, 
to  acquire,  in  so  short  a  time,  the  requisite  amount 
of  various  knowledge.     But  even  if  he  could  do  this, 
still  he  ought  to  be  deterred  from  contenting  himself 
with  so  hasty  and  compendious  a  course.     For  he 
has  much  to  gain   besides   mere   knowledge,  and 
much  that  requires  time,  toil,  and  conflict.     He  is 
called  to  study  his  own  heart;    to  ascertain  his  own 
defects  and  foibles ;  to  discipline  his  own  feelings 
and  habits ;    to   study  clerical  character,  under  its 
various  aspects,  as  it  is,  and  as  it  ought  to  be ;  to  be- 
come acquainted  with  the  state,  and  the  wants  of 


the  church ;  and,  in  a  word,  to  lay  a  deep  and  broad 
foundation  for  every  superstructure  of  intellectual, 
moral,  and  spiritual  attainment,  which  it  is  his  duty 
to  raise. 

You,  no  doubt,  remember,  that  the  Priests,  under 
the  Old  Testament  dispensation,  were  not  permitted 
to  enter  on  the  publick  duties  of  their  office,  until 
they  had  reached  the  age  of  thirty  years.  I  will  not 
say,  that,  under  the  New  Testament  economy,  we 
ought  to  be  rigidly  governed  by  the  same  rule.  But 
I  can  by  no  means  regard  with  approbation  the  con- 
duct of  some  modern  candidates  for  the  sacred  office, 
who  have  prematurely  pressed  into  the  pulpit,  at 
the  age  of  twenty,  or  twenty-one,  after  an  extremely 
hurried  and  imperfect  course  of  study.  I  will  only 
say,  that,  in  ordinary  cases,  nothing  can  justify  such 
presumptuous  haste.  No  young  man,  unless  his  cir- 
cumstances be  very  peculiar,  ought  ever  to  be  licens- 
ed to  preach  the  gospel  under  twenty-four,  or  twen- 
ty-five years  of  age ;  or  to  be  ordained  to  the  work 
of  the  ministry  under  twenty-six,  or  twenty-eight. 
Men  seldom  have,  at  an  earlier  age,  that  deep,  stea- 
dy, enlightened  piety  ;  that  amount  of  christian  ex- 
perience; that  maturity  of  judgment;  that  establish- 
ed gravity  and  prudence;  that  acquaintance  with 
men  and  manners,  and  those  stores  of  practical  wis- 
dom, which  are  so  desirable,  even  in  the  first  acts 
of  evangelical  and  pastoral  duty.  Many  a  juvenile 
candidate  for  the  sacred  office  has  entered  on  his 
publick  duties  so  strikingly  deficient  in  knowledge, 
in  maturity  of  judgment,  and  in  practical  experience, 
as  to  draw  a  heavv  cloud,  not  only  over  the  outset. 


37 

but  also  over  the  whole  course  of  his  professional 
life.  To  this  source,  I  have  no  doubt,  we  may  trace 
many  of  those  personal  indiscretions  and  theological 
and  ecclesiastical  vagaries,  which  have  destroyed  the 
usefulness  of  many  a  young  minister.  To  this  source, 
also,  we  may  trace  the  early  decline  of  popularity, 
and  the  disreputable  dismission  of  many  a  promising 
young  pastor,  who,  with  all  his  sprightliness  and 
confidence,  never  had  a  stock  of  knowledge  ade- 
quate .to  the  demands  of  the  stated  ministry  To 
this  we  must  ascribe  the  poor,  jejune,  and  unprofit- 
able preaching  of  hundreds,  who  maintain  their 
places,  and  wear  the  clerical  garb.  And  to  this, 
among  other  things,  we  may  refer  the  rashness,  and 
the  melancholy  triumph  of  zeal,  over  knowledge  and 
wisdom,  in  undertaking  to  guide  the  interests  of  re- 
ligion, in  times  of  extraordinary  awakening  and  re- 
vival. The  naratives  of  the  unscriptual  devices,  and 
unskilful  management  of  ministers,  pious,  indeed, 
but  totally  lacking  in  information,  experience,  and 
mature  wisdom,  form  some  of  the  most  melancholy 
pages  in  the  history  of  the  church. 

4.  If  the  doctrine  on  which  I  have  been  insisting 
be  correct,  then,  how  great  is  the  guilt  of  un- 
faithful ministers!  He  who  has  taken  on  him- 
self the  vows,  and  all  the  tremendous  responsibilities 
of  this  office  ;  and  yet,  from  indolence,  or  from  spi- 
ritual indifference,  neglects  the  souls  committed  to 
his  charge  : — or,  from  a  desire  to  please,  flatters  and 
deceives  them  in  the  great  concerns  of  salvation, — 
"daubing  with  untempered  mortar,"  and  crying, 
"peace,  peace,  when  there  is  no  peace;" — incurs  a 


38 

degree  of  guilt  which  it  is  impossible  to  express  or 
measure.  We  speak  of  the  thief,  the  murderer,  and 
the  perjured  person,  in  civil  life,  with  abhorrence  ; 
but  what  is  their  guilt,  when  compared,  in  the  light 
of  God's  word,  with  that  of  the  unfaithful  minister? 
The  one  robs  his  fellow  men  of  a  portion  of  perish- 
ing wealth  ; — the  other  robs  them  of  all  that  is  pre- 
cious in  the  hopes  of  the  soul.  The  one  "kills  the 
body,  and  after  that,  has  no  more  that  he  can  do : — 
but  under  the  murderous  hand  of  the  other,  the  im- 
mortal spirit  dies,  and  is  plunged  into  the  abyss  of 
the  damned.  The  one  tramples  on  a  solemn  ap- 
peal to  God  about  some  temporal  trifle ; — the  other 
daily  violates  oaths  and  vows  whicli  have  for  their 
object  the  "  Church  of  the  living  God,  the  pillar  and 
ground  of  the  truth,"  and  all  the  mighty  interests  of 
thousands  throughout  an  unwasting  eternity.  A 
wicked  minister  is  the  most  wicked  of  all  men.  His 
sins  are  more  extensively  and  permanently  mischiev- 
ous than  those  of  other  men.  He  sins  against  great- 
er light,  and  stronger  obligations,  and  more  solemn 
engagements  than  other  men.  And,  therefore,  it  ap- 
pears to  me  highly  probable,  that  the  lowest  depths 
in  the  prison  of  eternal  despair,  are  occupied  by  un- 
principled, unfaithful  ministers.  And,  let  me  ask — 
Is  not  this  peculiar  guilt  likely  to  rest  with  especial 
weight  on  such  unprincipled  and  unfaithful  ministers 
as  hold  an  orthodox  creed,  and  go  down  to  perdition 
from  orthodox  churches  ?  Surely  those  whose  theo- 
ry is  most  spiritual ;  whose  profession  is  most  strict ; 
and  whose  excitements  to  fidelity  are  most  solemn, 
incur  a  proportional  degree  of  guilt  in  setting  them 


39' 


all  at  naught.  If  this  suggestion  be  well  founded; 
there  are,  probably,  no  men  on  earth,  at  this  hour, 
whose  situation  is  more  responsible,  and  who  are 
called  upon  more  deeply  to  ponder  it  in  their  hearts, 
than  the  ministers,  and  candidates  for  tin3  ministry, 
of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  United  States. 
h.  In  the  light  of  this  subject  we  may  see  why  it 

is,  THAT  THE  CLERGY  HAVE  BEEN  SO  MUCH  DESPISED, 
AND  MADE  THE  OBJECTS  OF  SO  MUCH  CONTEMPTUOUS 
SNEER,  IN  ALL  AGES,  BY  INFIDELS  AND  WORLDLY 

men.  That  assailing,  and  endeavouring  to  depreci- 
ate the  character  of  ministers,  has  long  been  a  fa- 
vourite method  of  attacking  Christianity  itself,  both 
on  the  part  of  some  who  professed  to  believe  it,  as 
well  as  of  open  infidels,  is  well  known.  The  unfair- 
ness of  this  method  of  attack  is,  indeed,  manifest. 
The  Bible  is  our  rule  of  faith  and  practice  ;  not  the 
character  of  those  who  undertake  to  expound  and 
publish  it.  Still,  however  plain,  and  however  rea- 
sonable this  distinction,  it  is  often  entirely  overlook- 
ed. Religion  always  has  been,  and  ever  will  be,  to 
a  great  extent,  judged  of  by  her  ministers.  And, 
alas!  that  they  have,  in  so  many  instances,  given 
occasion  to  the  enemy  to  "speak  reproachfully!'' 
Among  the  many  millions  of  ministers  who  have 
officiated  in  the  sanctuary  since  the  establishment,  of 
a  visible  church  on  earth,  how  large  a  number,  with 
the  language  of  holy  exhortation  on  their  lips,  have 
been  grossly  immoral !  How  many  more,  while-di- 
recting the  attention  of  others  to  a  better  world,  have 
manifested  that  they  were  selfish,  worldly  minded, 
and  supremely  devoted  to  the  ambitious  pursuits  of 


40 

the  present  life  !  O  how  small  has  been  the  propor- 
tion in  any  age  or  country,  who  have  preached  and 
lived  as  if  they  really  believed  the  great  things  which 
they  professed  to  be  desirous  of  inculcating  on  those 
around   them!    The  truth  is,   the  great  body  of 

THE  CLERGY  HAVE  NEVER  AC1E0  IN  CHARACTER | 
AND,  THEREFORE,  NO  WONDER  THEY  HAVE  BEEN 
TREATED  WITH  CONTEMPT  AND    RIDICULE.       It  is  not 

in  the  nature  of  things  that  men  so  inconsistent, 
should  be  really  respected  in  their  official  character. 
Worldly  men  sometimes,  indeed,  honour  ministers, 
who  have  little  apparent  piety,  for  their  talents,  their 
learning,  or  their  attractive  social  qualities  :  but  they 
seldom  fail  to  discern  their  official  defects,  and,  no 
doubt,  are  often  hardened  by  them  in  unbelief  and 
impiety.  I  freely  grant,  indeed,  that  if  ministers 
were  heavenly  purity  itself  embodied,  infidels  and 
worldly  men  would  dislike  and  malign  them.  When 
Infinite  Purity  was  "manifest  in  the  flesh,"  they  did 
cry  out,  "Crucify  him,  crucify  him."  Still,  how- 
ever, there  is  such  a  thing  as  the  apostle  speaks  of, 
when  he  exhorts  Timothy,  by  well  doing  to  put  to 
silence  the  ignorance  of  foolish  men.  Blessed  be 
God !  it  has  been  often  done ;  and  we  may  hope, 
that,  through  his  grace,  it  will  be  still  more  frequent- 
ly done  hereafter.  If  the  ministerial  character  were 
presented  under  its  genuine,  scriptural,  and  primitive 
aspect,  it  would  extort  a  reluctant  homage,  even 
from  the  most  abandoned  votaries  of  sin.  Only  let 
ministers  lay  aside  all  worldly  policy  and  habits ; 
let  them  demonstrate  by  their  conduct  that  their 
treasures  are  in  heaven  ;    let  them   show,  by  their 


41 

simple  scriptural  piety,  their  zeal,  humility,  purity, 
meekness,  self-denial,  and  deadncss  to  the  world, 
that  the  imitation  of  Christ  is  their  habitual  study, 
and  doing  good  their  "  ruling  passion  ;"  and  we  shall 
soon  cease  to  hear  of  the  charge  of  "priestcraft,"  and 
the  sneer,  that  "  the  clergy  of  all  religions  are  alike.5' 
Too  much  "alike,"  a  great  majority  of  them  have, 
indeed,  been,  in  selfishness,  indolence,  and  unfaith- 
fulness to  their  trust !  But  the  purity  of  the  Divine 
Word,  and  the  glorious  beauty  of  the  Spirit  of  Christ, 
by  which  they  professed  to  be  guided,  have  been 
ever  the  same.  A  sufficient  number,  too,  have  been 
really  guided  by  them,  to  show  that,  amidst  a  mul- 
titude of  counterfeits,  there  has  been  much  true  coin. 
And  the  time  is  coming  when  the  clerical  character 
shall  be,  every  where,  so  much  in  harmony  with  the 
spirit  of  the  Bible,  as  to  redeem  itself  from  every 
reproach,  and  to  be  universally  acknowledged  as  a 
blessing  to  the  world. 

(3.   We  may  see,  from  this  subject,  why  there  is 

SO  LITTLE  TRULY  GOOD  AND  PROFITABLE  PREACH- 
ING. An  anonymous  writer,  in  a  late  number  of  a 
distinguished  foreign  journal,  remarks,  that  "the 
eloquence  of  the  pulpit,  generally  speaking,  turns 
very  peculiar  advantages  to  a  very  moderate  ac- 
count." Although  I  have  no  doubt  that  my  esti- 
mate of  true  excellence  in  gospel  preaching,  would 
be  found  to  differ  greatly  from  that  of  the  writer  in 
question  ;  yet  the  remark  just  quoted,  however  hu- 
miliating, is,  doubtless,  founded  in  fact.  Consider- 
ing the  amount  of  preaching  ;  and  considering,  too, 
the  scope,  the  subjects,  the  opportunities  of  leisurely 


preparation,  the  excitements,  and  the  almost  mm 
mited  field  of  usefulness,  furnished  to  the  christian 
preacher,  I  do  think  the  examples  of  high  excellence, 
and  of  extensive  benefit,  in  this  department  of  exer- 
tion, are  wonderfully  few  and  small,  compared  with 
what  might  be  reasonably  expected.  It  is  by  no 
means  a  sufficient  answer  to  this  complaint,  to  say, 
that  great  talents  are  extremely  rare;  and  that  a 
very  high  grade  of  eloquence,  in  any  profession,  is 
still  more  rare.  This  is,  no  doubt,  true.  And  if 
distinguished  genius,  and  first-rate  eloquence,  mea- 
sured by  the  precepts  of  Cicero^  Longinus,  or  Quin- 
tilian,  were  necessary  to  form  a  good  preacher ; 
the  great  majority  of  clerical  men  might  hold  them- 
selves guiltless  in  being  very  inferior  preachers. 
But  these,  however  desirable  and  useful  in  their 
place,  are  far  from  being  necessary,  to  great  excel- 
lence, and  eminent  usefulness  in  gospel  preaching* 
A  man  of  enlightened,  fervent  piety,  medium  ta- 
lents, and  mature  biblical  and  theological  furniture- 
may  preach  well ; — sufficiently  well  to  be  a  rich 
blessing  to  any  community.  There  is  lipt  one  oi 
you,  my  young  friends,  who,  if  his  heart  were 
warmed  and  elevated  as  it  ought  to  be,  with  liv- 
ing, active  piety,  and  if  he  took  suitable  pains  to 
store  his  mind  with  appropriate  knowledge,  might 
not  be  a  preacher  of  great  excellence,  and  of  exten- 
sive usefulness.  The  fire  of  zeal  would  supply  the 
lack  of  artificial  refinements,  and  pour  forth  a  con- 
stant stream  of  eloquence,  irregular,  perhaps,  and 
plain,  but  truly  sanctified,  feelimr,  and.  therefore- 


4- 
0 


impressive  in  its  character.  The  true  reason,  then, 
why  we  have  so  little  good  and  profitable  preaching, 
is,  that,  among  those  who  attempt  to  perform  this 
service,  there  is  so  little  deep,  warm,  heart-felt 
piety  ;  and  so  little  of  that  patient,  indefatigable  la- 
bour, to  store  the  mind  with  knowledge,  and  to  at- 
tain an  easy,  natural,  forcible  method  of  communi- 
cating it,  which  are  within  the  reach  of  most 
ordinary  minds,  supremely  intent  on  doing  good. 
Some  of  the  most  useful  preachers  that  ever  entered 
the  pulpit,  have  been  men  not  at  all  distinguished 
either  for  great  genius,  profound  learning,  or 
striking  elocution.  But  they  never  failed  to  be 
distinguished  for  good  sense,  christian  prudence, 
fervent  love  for  their  Master's  cause,  and  for 
immortal  souls,  and  untiring  perseverance  in  holy 
labour.  And,  re'y  upon  it,  whoever  will  steadfastly 
exhibit  these,  in  any  church  or  country,  will  attain 
high  excellence,  and  great  acceptance  and  useful- 
ness as  a  gospel  preacher. 

7.  From  what  has  been  said,  it  is  evident,  that, 
while  we  greatly  need  a  much  larger  number  of 
ministers ;     we   still  more  urgently   need    an 

INCREASE  IN  MINISTERIAL  PIETY,  ZEAL,  AND  FIDEL- 
ITY. That  there  is  a  real,  nay,  a  most  distressing 
deficiency  in  the  number  of  labourers  employed  in 
the  "  great  harvest,"  in  almost  every  part  of  our 
country,  every  well-informed  person  knows  to  be  a 
fact.  Taking  into  view  the  missionary,  as  well  as 
the  pastoral  service,  it  is  probably  safe  to  affirm,  that 
if  we  had  a  thousand  able  and  faithful  men,  added, 
at  once,  to  our  present  number  of  ministers,  they 


44 

might  all  be  usefully  employed.  This,  I  am  aware, 
is  doubted  by  some,  because  they,  now  and  then, 
find  a  candidate  for  pastoral  settlement,  or  for  some 
other  branch  of  evangelical  service,  unemployed. 
But  the  inference  drawn  from  this  fact  is,  undoubt- 
edly, delusive.  May  it  not  be  said  of  a  portion  of 
these  unoccupied  candidates,  that  they  are  not 
worth  employing?  That  they  are  so  strikingly 
deficient  in  the  most  important  qualifications  as  to 
be  little  if  any  better  than  none  ?  And  of  the  rest, 
that  they  are  not  willing  to  go  where  they  are  press- 
ingly  invited,  and  greatly  needed  ?  But  if  some,  evi- 
dently wanting  in  the  furniture  requisite  for  instruct 
ing  and  edifying  the  people;  and  others,  not  willing 
to  labour  where  they  are  called,  are  standing  idle ; 
does  either  case  afford  evidence  that  able,  willing, 
and  faithful  labourers,  and  even  large  additional 
numbers  of  them,  are  not  greatly  needed  ?  Certain- 
ly not.  Every  enlightened  friend  of  religion,  then, 
will  pray  without  ceasing  that  more  labourers 
may  be  raised  up,  qualified,  and  thrust  forth  into 
the  harvest.  But  the  friends  of  piety  ought  to  pray 
still  more  earnestly,  that  all  who  are  sent  forth  may 
be  of  the  right  stamt.  It  is  unspeakably  more 
important  that  ministers  be  men  of  the  proper 
spirit,  than  that  they  be  very  numerous.  Many 
people  appear  to  speak  and  act  as  if  it  were  desira- 
ble to  obtain  a  large  number  of  ministers  of  almost 
any  sort.  But,  truly,  this  is  a  great  mistake.  Of 
what  advantage  is  it  to  any  church  to  add  to  her  mi- 
nistry a  drone,  an  ignoramus,  or  a  learned  forma- 
list ?  A  thousand  such  additions  to  her  clerical  ranks 


would  do  her  no  good.  Good  did  I  say?  Tho  more 
such  ministers  are  multiplied,  the  worse  it  is  for  the 
church  They  draw  down  upon  her  blasting  and 
desolation,  rather  than  a  blessing.  What  the  church 
needs  is  a  greater  number  of  pious,  humble,  enlight-. 
ened  ministers,  who  know  how  to  labour,  and  who 
love  to  labour,  for  Christ,  and  for  immortal  souls. 
One  such  man  as  Brainerd,  or  Whitefidd,  or  Ten- 
ncnt,  or  Martyn,  is  worth  fifty,  or  a  hundred  of  your 
cold,  timid  indolent  men,  although  they  go  through 
a  formal  round  of  duties,  without  any  disreputable 
deficiency,  and  preach  the  truth,  and  nothing  but  the 
truth,  every  time  they  enter  the  sacred  desk.  One 
such  man  as  the  apostle  Paul,  has  been,  and  may  be 
again,  the  means  of  regenerating  a  nation  :  while 
scores  or  hundreds  of  men  calling  themselves  minis- 
ters, but  either  bloated  by  sacerdotal  pride,  or  pa- 
ralized  by  frigid  indifference,  may  slumber  through 
their  miserable  routine  for  years,  without  wiinessing 
the  regeneration  of  a  single  soul. 

8.  We  may  learn,  from  what  has  been  said,  what 

THAT  KIND  OF  HONOUR  IS     TO    WHICH  MINISTKRS   OF 

the  gospel  ought  to  ASPIRE.  Clergymen,  in  all 
ages  and  countries,  have  unhappily  degraded  their 
office,  while  they  intended  to  "magnify"  it.  They 
have  sought  wealth,  or  secular  station,  or  affected 
splendour  in  living,  or  courted  the  patronage  of  great 
men,  or  aspired  to  high  rank  in  the  walks  of  litera- 
ture, or,  if  no  more  elevated  honours  were  within  their 
reach,  to  occupy  "the  uppermost  rooms  at  feasts," 
to  receive  "  greetings  in  the  markets,"  and  "  to  be 
called  of  men,  rabbi,  rabbi."     Need  I  say,  that  all 


16 

these  will  be  regarded  by  an  '-ambassador  ot 
Christ,"  who  has  the  genuine  spirit  of  his  office,  and 
who  wishes,  with  Paul,  to  "  magnify  it,"  in  reality, 
as  infinitely  beneath  his  "  sanctified  ambition  ?" 
That  illustrious  gospel  hero,  Martin  Lather,  was  ac- 
customed to  say — "  God  will  sometimes  endure  a 
love  of  worldly  honour  in  Lawyers  and  Physicians  : 
but  in  ministers  of  the  gospel  he  will  in  no  case  endure 
it."  Let  this  sentiment  "  sink  down  into  your  hearts," 
with  the  weight  of  an  incontrovertible  maxim.  His- 
tory has,  undoubtedly,  set  upon  it  the  stamp  of  truth. 
Every  effort  that  ministers  make  in  secular  aspirings, 
and  every  step  they  gain  in  secular  greatness, 
though  it  may  not  bring  upon  them  the  visible  judg- 
ments of  the  Almighty,  will  assuredly  diminish  their 
zeal,  reputation,  and  usefulness,  in  the  sacred  office  : 
and,  if  indulged  to  a  considerable  extent,  will  effect- 
ually destroy  them  all.  The  true  honour  of  a  minis- 
ter of  reconciliation  lies  in  possessing  all  the  qualifi- 
cations proper  for  his  official  work,  and  in  devoting 
them  supremely  and  unceasingly  to  the  advance- 
ment of  the  Redeemer's  kingdom.  The  servant  of 
Christ  never  miscalculates  more  egregiously  than 
when  he  undertakes  to  be  a  competitor  for  worldly 
titles,  places,  or  distinctions  of  any  kind.  The 
more  entirely  he  is  withdrawn  from  the  world,  the 
more  perfectly  he  lives  above  it,  and  the  more 
completely  he  is  absorbed  in  the  great  work  oi 
seeking  the  salvation  of  men,  the  more  wisely  he 
consults  his  reputation,  as  well  as  his  duty  and  his 
happiness.  Let  Lord  Bolingbroke,  and  the  thou- 
sands of  nominal  christians,  who,  though  they  re- 


1/ 

ject  the  name  of  infidel,  have  the  same  spirit ;  let 
them  sneer  at  what  he  somewhere  calls  "the  sub- 
lime passion  for  saving  souls."  It  is  a  sublime  pas- 
sion ; — the  most  sublime  that  can  actuate  the  bo- 
som of  a  mortal.  It  was  this  that  brought  the  Saviour 
from  heaven.  The  highest  honour  of  a  minister  con- 
sists in  doing  good.  His  noblest  laurels  are  con- 
versions. The  best  eulogium  that  can  be  pronoun- 
ced upon  him,  is  that  which  was  passed  on  a  minis- 
ter in  primitive  times — He  ivas  a  good  man,  and 
full  of  the  Holy  Ghost  and  of  faith  ;  and  much  peo- 
ple was  added  to  the  Lord. 

9.   if  the  leading  doctrine  of  this  Lecture  be  col- 
lect, then  there  is  nothing  (humanly  speaking)  more 
urgently  needed  for  promoting    the  best  interests  of 
the  Redeemer's  kingdom  in  the  United  S  tates,  than 
that  the  clergy,  as  a  body,   should  possess  a 

PROPER  SPIRIT,  AND  BE  FULLY  ROUSED  TO  THE 
FAITHFUL  DISCHARGE  OF  THEIR  MOMENTOUS  DUTIES. 

When  we  deliberate  about  plans  for  promoting  the 
great  cause  of  truth  and  piety,  we  are  apt  to  talk  of 
almost  all  other  means,  excepting  precisely  those 
which  are  most  radical  and  essential.  We  speak 
much  of  helping  the  cause  forward  by  Funds,  and 
Societies,  and  annual  Sermons,  and  multiplying  aux- 
illiarij  Associations,  and  making  eloquent  Addresses 
at  annual  meetings,  and  a  variety  of  such  popular 
means.  Of  all  these  I  most  cordially  approve,  as 
highly  useful  in  their  respective  places  But  I  will 
venture  to  say,  we  need  nothing  so  much,  so  far 
as  instrumental  agency   is  concerned,  as  that  thf 


BODY  OF    ChHIST;S     MINISTERS  iUHODg  US    be  FULLY 

awakened  to  a  sense  of  their  obligations  and  their 
duties,  and  embark,  with  humble  dependence  on 

THEIR    MaS'IER,    AND   WITH  THEIR    WHOLE  HEARTS. 

in  their  appkopriiae  woKK.  Until  this  shall,  in 
some  degree,  take  place,  even  supposing  all  the  wealth 
of  the  world  to  be  put  at  the  disposal  of  the  church, 
the  work  of  bringing  men  under  the  genuine  influ- 
ence of  the  gospel  will  go  tardily  on.  But  un- 
til this  take  place,  adequate  funds  for  carrying 
on  this  great  work  cannot  be  furnished ;  for  un- 
til ministers  be  previously  imbued  with  the  proper 
spirit,  we  must  not  expect  our  churches  to  be  roused 
to  that  state  of  spiritual  sensibility  and  exertion, 
which  is  indispensable,  and  which  will,  one  day,  be 
realized.  It  would  be  a  strange  phenomenon,  in- 
deed, to  see  the  churches  going  beyond  their  leaders 
in  knowledge,  feeling,  zeal,  and  effort.  As  rea- 
sonably might  we  expect  to  see  armies  pressing 
forward  to  conquest  and  triumph,  when  their  officers 
timidly  refused  to  lead  them,  or  were  ignobly  slum- 
bering in  the  rear. 

How  large  a  number  of  the  ministers  of  the  Pres- 
byterian Churchin  the  United  States  (for  I  will  not. 
speak  of  any  other  church)  are  fully  awake,  and  on 
the  field  of  battle,  properly  armed  and  accoutred, 
and  with  the  spirit  of  "  good  soldiers  of  Jesus  Christ" 
burning  in  their  bosoms,  1  dare  not  venture  to  esti- 
mate. That  all  are  not  so  ;  that  all  are  not  engag- 
ed, to  the  extent  of  their  strength,  in  instructing, 
rousing,  and  leading  on  "  the  sacramental  host"  of 
( iod  from  grace  to  grace,   and  from  victory  to  victo 


49 

rv,  is  a  melancholy  fact  too  evident  to  be  denied  by 
the  most   careless  observer.     When    this   desirable 
state  of  mind  and  of  habit  shall  be  realized  with  re- 
spect to  the  great  body  of  them,  then  "  the  time,  even 
the  set  time  to  favour  Zion,  will  have  come."  Then 
shall  the  signal  be  given  for  the  whole  body  of  our 
population  to  come  up,  willingly  and  efficiently,  to 
the  help  of  the  Lord  against  the  mighty.     For,   that 
the   mass  of  our  professing  people   have  not  made 
higher  attainments  in  christian  feeling,    and  chris- 
tian effort ;  that  they  have  not  more  knowledge  of 
truth  ;  more  piety  ;  more  zeal ;  more  comprehensive 
views  of  the  deplorable  state  of  the   world  ;   more 
deep  sympathy  for  the  destitute  and  the  perishing  ; 
and  a  more  active  spirit  of  benevolent  exertion  for 
enlightening  the  world— I  hold  to  be  more  owing  to 
a  defect  of  zeal  on  the  part  of  the  clergy  themselves, 
than   to  any  other  single  cause,  next  to  the  native 
depravity  of  the  human  heart.     If  the  great  body  of 
our   ministers  were   thoroughly  imbued    with   the 
apostolick  spirit,  and  animated  to  a  corresponding 
tone  of  habitual  exertion,   wc  should  soon  witness 
^lorious  days  in  our  beloved  country. 

10.  Finally  ;  in  the  views  which  have  been  taken 
of  this  subject,  you,  my  young  friends,  may  find  much 
matter  for  serious  personal  application.  The  great 
office,  the  awful  office  which  we  have  been  contem- 
plating ;— the  office  on  which  so  much  depends  in 
reference  to  unnumbered  millions, — for  soul  and 
body,  for  time  and  eternity  ; — this  is  the  office  which 
you  seek ;— for  which  you  have  come  hither  to  pre- 
pare . to  which  all  your   studies  and  intercourse 

a 


here  will  be,  or  ought  to  be,  directed.  Solemn  un- 
dertaking !  Momentous  enterprise  !  Oh,  if  you  could 
foresee  the  unutterable  consequences  which  will  re- 
sult from  this  enterprise,  to  yourselves,  and  to  all  the 
multitudes  whom  you  may,  in  the  course  of  your 
lives,  approach  and  influence,  the  present  would  be 
an  hour  of  deep  solemnity  with  every  one  whom  I 
address.  May  the  Lord  give  you  grace  to  ponder 
well  in  your  hearts  what  you  are  about,  and  what  is 
before  you  !  May  the  Lord  give  you  grace  to  consider 
seriously  the  furniture  which  you  need  for  this  mighty 
work  ;  especially  that  deep,  ardent,  active  pie- 
ty, which  lies  at  the  foundation  of  all  other  useful 
furniture.  You  need,  it  is  true,  other  attainments, 
and  much  of  other  attainments ;  but  without  this. 
you  will  be  of  little  use  as  ministers  of  Christ.  With- 
out this,  directing,  warming,  animating,  and  sancti- 
fying all  your  other  accomplishments,  they  will  be 
as  a  sounding  brass  and  a  tinkling  cymbal. 

Think,  I  pray  you,  what  a  day  it  is,  in  which  the 
Head  of  the  Church  nas  cast  your  lot !  No  prece- 
ding generation  of  ministers  ever  saw  such  a  day  as 
this  !  Such  openings  for  usefulness  ;  such  calls  to 
exertion  ;  such  multiplied  and  extensive  fields  whi- 
uning  to  the  harvest ;  such  abundant  and  potent 
means  for  doing  good  to  mankind.  To  live  now,  is 
a  talent  put  into  your  hands,  for  which  you  must 
give  an  account.  Have  you  an  ardour  of  piety,  a 
tone  of  moral  sentiment,  a  spirit  of  enterprise  corres- 
ponding with  this  day?  If  not,  give  yourselves  no 
rest  till  you  in  some  good  measure  attain  them  all. 
Ff  an  ancient  heathen  rhetorician,  in  giving  directions 


51 

tor  the  attainment  of  the  '•  sublime."  in  writing:, 
could  say — "  Spare  no  labour  to  educate  your  soul  to 
grandeur,  and  to  impregnate  it  with  great  and  gene- 
rous ideas  ;"  much  more  may  the  same  language  be 
addressed  to  a  candidate  for  the  gospel  ministry,  in 
the  present  stage  of  the  Church's  progress.  Take 
unceasing  pains  to  get  large  views  of  ministerial  fur- 
niture, ministerial  duty,  and  ministerial  success. 
Strive  to  "  educate  your  souls  to  grandeur"  of  con- 
ception, and  grandeur  of  wishes,  and  hopes,  and  en- 
terprise for  the  moral  benefit  of  your  fellow  men. 
Aim  high.  Let  no  petty  plans  satisfy  you,  either  as 
to  acquirement  or  exertion.  Every  one  of  you,  how- 
ever humble  his  talents,  if  really  disposed  to  make 
the  most  of  what  God  has  given  him,  might  cause 
his  influence  to  be  felt  to  the  ends  of  the  earth. 

Think,  further,  what  a  weight  of  responsibility,  if 
you  live  to  sustain  it,  will  soon  devolve  upon  you. 
When  I  see  more  than  a  hundred  theological  students 
before  me,  amounting  to  nearly  a  thirteenth  part  of 
the  whole  number  of  our  ministry;  and  recollect 
that,  in  a  little  time,  the  reins  of  ecclesiastical  admi- 
nistration will  drop  from  the  hands  of  those  who  now 
bear  them, — and  who,  alas!  have  so  much  reason  to 
mourn  over  the  defective  manner  in  which  they  have 
home  them  ; — and  that  a  large  part  of  the  weighty 
trust  will  devolve  on  you,  I  can  scarcely  express  my 
emotions.  Is  it  so,  my  young  friends,  that  this  be- 
loved Church;  this  truly  primitive  and  apostolick 
Church  ;  this  Church  for  which  our  fathers  have 
prayed  and  laboured  so  much ;  this  Church,  which, 
though  repeatedly  involved  in  the  flame  of  contro- 


52 

versy  and  trial,  yet,  like  the  "  burning  bush" at  Horeb? 
has  not.  been  "  consumed,"  but  has  been  mercifully 
brought  forth  more  thrifty  and  flourishing ;  this 
Church,  in  the  future  destiny  of  which  the  peace, 
edification,  and  eternal  welfare  of  so  many  myriads 
are  involved  ; — is  soon  to  be  committed,  under  God, 
to  your  management,  associated  with  those  who,  in 
other  places,  are,  like  yourselves,  training  up  for  the 
work  ?  And  is  it  true  that  so  much,  under  God,  de- 
pends upon  your  spirit,  attainments,  and  character  ? 
that  what  you  shall  be,  fifteen  or  twenty  years 
hence,  the  Presbyterian  Church  will  be  ?  O, 
then,  gird  up  the  loins  of  your  minds;  be  sober  and 
watch  unto  prayer.  Let  a  sense  of  your  incalculable 
responsibility  daily  rest  upon  you.  Let  it  impel  you 
in  your  studies,  give  new  fervour  to  your  devotions, 
and  impart  a  deeper  tone  of  solemnity  to  all  your  in- 
tercourse, both  with  one  another,  and  with  all  around 
you.  Remember,  in  going  out,  and  in  coming  in, 
in  sitting  down  and  in  rising  up,  that  you  are  conse- 
crated men,  bound  to  live  and  to  die  for  the  Church 
of  God.  Cultivate  a  deep  and  habitual  spirit  of 
prayer.  Covet,  earnestly  the  best  gifts  ;  and  shrink 
from  no  labour,  either  in  study  or  in  self-denial,  that 
will  prepare  you  to  perform  with  more  efficiency 
your  Master's  work.  Consider  no  sacrifice  as  too 
great  for  the  promotion  of  the  Redeemer's  kingdom. 
Set  up  no  banner,  in  any  case,  but  that  of  Christ. 
Let  all  carnal  ambition,  pride,  envy,  contention,  and 
unhallowed  emulation  be  put  away  from  among  you. 
Be  always  ready  to  surrender  every  personal  feeling 
for  the  sake  of  brotherly  love  and  edification.  Cher- 


■)<.> 


ish  more  and  more  the  feelings  of  a  holy  brotherhood, 
pledged  to  Christ,  and  to  one  another  by  indissolu- 
ble ties.  Remember  that,  united,  you  will  stand,  and 
by  the  spirit  and  strength  of  Christ,  can  do  all  things  ; 
but  that,  divided,  you  must  fall ;  and  that  in  every 
fall  of  the  christian  ministry,  the  cause  of  the  Re- 
deemer bleeds  and  mourns.  Resolve,  that,  if  the 
Church  be  corrupted  with  error,  agitated  by  contro- 
versy, or  torn  by  schism,  the  sin  shall  not  lie  at  your 
door.  If  her  walls  be  broken  down,  by  folly  or 
wickedness,  see  that  you  be  found  in  the  breach, 
fighting  and  praying  for  her  restoration.  And  if  ever 
a  time  should  come  in  which  you  can  do  nothing 
more,  at  least  be  found  weeping  between  the  porch 
and  the  altar,  saying,  Spare  thy  people,  O  Lord,  bless 
thy  heritage,  save  them,  and  lift  them  up  for  ever ! 
But,  if  you  are  faithful,  my  young  friends,  such  a 
time  will  never  come.  Yes,  if  only  the  little  band, 
now  seated  within  the  sound  of  my  voice,  should  all 
happily  prove  to  be  animated  with  the  spirit  of  the 
primitive  heralds  of  the  cross,  there  is  no  presumption 
in  saying,  that,  you  alone,  under  God,  would  form  a 
pledge  to  our  beloved  Church  of  her  spiritual  pros- 
perity. 

The  God  of  all  grace  grant  that  you  may  act  a 
part  more  worthy  of  the  sacred  offr  e  than  we,  who 
have  preceded  you,  have  ever  done  !  May  He  preside 
over  your  studies;  endow  you  with  all  those  gifts  and 
graces  which  will  fit  you  for  the  faithful  performance 
of  his  great  work ;  and  form  you  to  be  '*  chosen  ves- 
sels" for  building  up  his  Church,  and  bearing  the 
treasures  of  his  love  to  a  dark  and  miserable  world  : 
and  to  his  name  be  the  glory  !  Amen  ! 


VOTE. 

[Page  6.] 


A  few  remarks  on  the  distinction  between  the  "  Clergy'' 
and  the  "  Laity"  which  it  was  not  convenient  to  intro- 
duce into  the  body  of  the  Lecture,  it  is  deemed  proper  to 
present  in  this  place. 

It  is  impossible  to  read  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  and  the 
several  Epistles,  especially  those  to  Timothy  and  Titus; 
and  to  examine,  in  connexion  with  these,  the  writings  of 
the  "  Apostolick  Fathers,"  without  perceiving  that  the  dis- 
tinction between  ministers  of  religion  and  private  chris- 
tians, was  clearly  made,  from  the  very  origin  of  the  chris- 
tian church,  and  uniformly  maintained.  That  the  terms, 
"  clergy"  and  "  laity"  were  not  used  at  first,  is  of  no  im- 
portance in  any  view  ;  since  the  distinction  intended  to  be 
expressed  by  them,  has  undoubtedly  and  uniformly  existed 
from  the  commencement  of  the  New  Testament  dispensa- 
tion to  the  present  nay.  The  titles  of  "Rulers1' in  the 
house  of  God  ; — "Ambassadors  of  Christ;'" — "Stewards 
of  the  Mysteries  of  God  ;"  "Bishops,  Elders,  Shepherds. 
Ministers,1'  &c,  as  distinguished  from  those  to  whom  they 
ministered,  are  so  familiar  to  all  readers  of  the  New- 
Testament,  that  further  elucidation  of  that  point  is  altoge- 
ther unnecessary. 

The  word  xXij^og,  properly  signifies  a  lot.  And  as  the 
land  of  Canaan  was  divided  among  the  Israelites  by  lot, 
the  word,  in  process  of  time,  came  to  signify  an  inherit- 
ance. In  this  figurative,  or  secondary  sense,  the  term  is 
evidently  employed  in  1  Peter  v.  3.  Under  the  Old  Tes- 
tament dispensation,  the  peculiar  people  of  God  were  call- 
ed, (Septuagint  translation,)  his  xAt^oj,  or  inheritance. 
Of  this  we  have  examples  in  Deuteronomy  iv.  20,  and 
ix.  29.  The  term,  in  both  these  passages,  is  manifestly  ap- 
plied to  the  whole  body  of  the  nation  of  Israel,  as  God's 
inheritance,  or  peculiar  people.  Clemens  JRomamts, 
one  of  the  "Apostolick  Fathers,"  speaking  of  the  Jewish 


economy,  and  having  occasion  to  distinguish  between  the 
priests  and  the  common  people,  calls  the  latter  Wcoi.  Cle- 
mens Jllexandrinus,  toward  the  close  of  the  second  cen- 
tury, speaks  of  the  apostle  John,  as  having  set  apart  such 
persons  for  "  clergymen,"  (xA-opoi)  as  were  signified  to  him 
by  the  Holy  Ghost.  And  in  the  writings  of  Terlullian, 
Origen,  and  Cyprian,  the  terms  "  clergy"  and  "laity" 
occur  with  a  frequency  which  shows  that  they  were  then 
in  familiar  use.  Jerome  observes,  that  ministers  are  called 
Clerici,  either  because  they  are  peculiarly  the  lot  and  por- 
tion of  the  Lord  ;  or  because  the  Lord  is  their  lot,  that  is, 
their  inheritance.  Hence  the  learned  and  pious  Father 
takes  occasion  to  infer,  "  That  he  who  is  God's  portion, 
ought  so  to  exhibit  himself,  that  he  may  be  truly  said  to 
possess  God.  and  to  be  possessed  by  Him."  Epist.  2.  ad 
Nepotian.  5.  Others  have  thought,  that,  in  giving  this 
title,  some  regard  was  had  to  the  ancient  custom  of  elect- 
ing persons  into  sacred  offices  by  lot. 

And  as  we  have  abundant  evidence  that  ecclesiastical 
men  were  familiarly  called  Clerici,  or  "  Clergymen,1'  from 
the  second  century  ;  so  we  have  the  same  evidence  that 
this  term  was  employed  to  designate  all  ecclesiastical  men. 
That  is,  all  persons  who  had  any  public  employment  in 
the  church,  were  called  by  the  common  name  of  Clerici, 
or  "Clergymen."  It  was  applied,  continually,  to  Elders 
and  Deacons,  as  well  as  to  Bishops  or  Pastors.  Nay,  in 
the  thh  .1  century,  when  not  only  Prelacy  had  crept  in,  and 
obtainc  a  general  prevalence  ;  but  when  the  same  spiril 
of  innovation  had  also  brought  in  a  number  of  inferior  or- 
ders, such  as  Sub-deacons,  Readers,  Jlcolyths,  &C,  these 
inferior  orders  were  all  styled  Clerici.  Cyprian,  speak- 
ing of  a  Sub-deacon,  and  also  of  a  Reader,  calls  them  both 
Clerici.  The  ordination  of  such  persons  (for  it  seems 
they  were  formally  ordained)  he  calls  Ordinationcs  Cle- 
ricX ;  and  the  letters  which  he  transmitted  by  them, 
he  styles  Literse  Clericte.  The  same  fact  may  be  clearly 
established  from  the  writings  of  Ambrose,  Hilary,  and 
Epiphanius,  and  from  the  canons  of  the  Council  of  Nice. 
Indeed  there  seems  reason  to  believe,  that,  in  the  fourth 
and  fifth  centuries,  and  subsequently,  the  title  of  Clerici 
was  not  only  given  to  all  the  inferior  orders  of  ecclesiasti- 
cal men,  but  was  more  frequently  applied  to  them  than  to 
ihcir  superiors  :   who  were  generally  addressed  by  I 


.JO 

more  distinctive  titles.  Those  who  recollect  that  leam 
ing,  during  the  dark  ages,  was  chiefly  confined  to  the  clergy, 
that  few,  excepting  persons  of  that  profession,  were  able 
to  read  and  write;  and  that  the  whimsical  privilege,  com- 
monly called  "  benefit  of  clergy  "  grew  out  of  the  rare 
accomplishment  of  being  able  to  read ; — will  be  at  no  loss 
to  trace  the  etymology  of  the  word  clerk  (clericus)  or  sec- 
retary, to  designate  one  who  officiates  as  the  reader  and 
writer  of  a  public   body. 

To  distinguish  the  mass  of  prvate  christians  from  the 
clergy,  they  were  designated  by  several  names.  They 
were  sometimes  called  Xaixoi,  laid,  laymen,  from  Xaos,  po- 
p ul 'us  ;  sometimes  jojwtoci,  "  private  men,"  from  ifaos,  pri- 
vatus  (see  Acts  iv.  13.);  sometimes  /Siwtixoi,  '*  seculars,"' 
from  /S(os,  which  signifies  a  secular  life.  Soon  after  the 
apostolick  age,  common  christians  were  frequently  called 
avogs;  sxxX^giagTixoi  —  "  men  of  the  church" — that  is,  per- 
sons not  belonging  either  to  Jewish  synagogues,  or  heathen 
temples,  or  heretical  bodies,  but  members  of  the  church  of 
Christ.  Afterwards,  however,  the  title,  Ecclesiasticks. 
became  gradually  appropriated  to  per.-ons  in  office  in  the 
church.  See  Stephani  Thesaurus,  Bingham's  Origines 
Ecclesiastical,  B,  I. 


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